Finding Middle-Earth
by LeDbrite
Summary: A Hobbit-Modern AU: Long estranged from his brother, Kili's world turns upside down when Fili suddenly returns. Their uncle, Thorin, has also returned, this time with a tale that holds many answers to Kili's questions. Now Fili and Kili have to re-learn how to work together as they try to find the way back to Middle-Earth; with one wizard, thirteen dwarves, and a burglar.
1. Prologue: Love's Death

**_Prologue: Love's Death_**

The phone rang loudly, unexpectedly, through the house. Checking out the window to make sure that her sons hadn't gotten into any new mischief since the last time she'd checked, Dis hurried to answer it, curiosity sparking; she hadn't been expecting to hear from anyone. It was a bother that she had to use the corded phone, but a recent storm had incapacitated the wireless one, and until her husband replaced it, she had to make do.

Facing the window, warming her body in sunlight that pooled in through the kitchen windows, a twinge of anxiety stabbed her when she heard who was calling. But that wasn't anything compared to her agony and disbelief when they'd relayed their message. Gripping the counter until her knuckles turned white, the world tipping under her, she managed to gasp out a- "Thank you for informing me." –before hanging up.

The phone missed its cradle, bouncing on its cord as it thudded against wood of a cabinet. Falling to her knees, incredulity giving way to a surge of panic, she longed to find release for it in a scream, but her throat was closed to all but wretched whimpers of pain. The hollow sound of the wood, as the phone hit it, seemed to echo the pounding of her heart. How strongly it still beat when it's other half no longer did. But a tiny voice, the voice of obstinate hope, insisted that it wasn't true, that it couldn't be true, but she couldn't listen to it; the pain felt too real to not be true.

What would she say to Fili and Kili? How could she tell them, look into their eyes, watch the joy disappear, and tell them that their father was dead?

Hands trembling, she grabbed the phone (which now seemed conveniently close since it dangled within arm's reach) and dialed. Pressing the phone to her ear, she bit back another wave of sorrow, fresh tears rolling down her face. On the other side of the line, a familiar voice spoke into her ear, deep and comforting. "Thorin?" she whispered. "I need you."

* * *

Bells tolled dolefully, their bass voices mournful and ominous, reflecting the sullen gray sky as rain peppered the ground, a day that belonged to the burdened and low in spirit. A solitary white steeple, undaunted by the weather, stood beckoningly as solemn figures entered the church for a funeral.

Clinging to his mother's hand, Kili counted the number of times the bells tolled, amazed at how loud they sounded, gazing wide eyed at all the people gathered. Next to his mother, stood Thorin; Fili stood despondently on Thorin's other side. It didn't seem possible that all this was real. At seven years old, this all felt like a dream.

Several days ago, Fili and Kili had come in from playing (little knowing about the phone call their mother had received) and had become scared when they found their mother crying. Fili had half guessed at what had happened, but had been too afraid to voice his guess out loud because of how unthinkable it was. Not long after, Thorin had shown up and he'd taken his nephews aside to explain what Dis had been unable to; but to Kili the words had meant little.

The closed lid of the casket was a silent confirmation to what Thorin had told them. The picture that stood next to the casket, with flowers around it, was an affirmation, but Kili couldn't bring himself to believe that the body inside was truly his father's, it was just too impossible. Tucking himself closer to his mother, clasping her hand even more tightly (as if he was afraid of becoming separated from her in the crowd), his eyes roved over the faces around him. Towering above, they were grim, and tears glazed many of them, but they were as foreign as everything else around him. His family was the only familiar thing in this sea of strangeness.

* * *

Chest tight, cold crawling in his belly, and feeling as if he was about to burst, Fili stood silently next to Thorin. His head throbbed, an after affect from all the tears he'd shed in the past few days. His whole body ached with the pain. Like a well gone dry, his tears had disappeared, when on this day they would have been most welcomed, but the hollowness in his core was proof enough that he still grieved.

Aloof in his sorrow, Fili had closed himself off from those around him, unable to handle the comforting touch of anyone. Not even Kili had been allowed to come close. Kili, more than anyone else, had been shut out the most. Fili wasn't sure how much their father's death had affected his younger brother, but on a deeper level he understood that Kili was too young to realize just yet.

People filed past, as unimportant as the rest of his surroundings. It wasn't until Thorin placed a hand on his shoulder that Fili comprehended that it was time to say their final farewells.

Choking for air, feet dragging with dread, Fili sought something to grasp onto to save himself from this feeling of drowning. The picture of his father caught his eye; fixing his gaze upon it, he stared into the blue eyes (as blue as his own) and felt a wave of unbearable pain crash over him. Like the tide rushing in, the empty well inside flooded with tears. Falling to his knees next to the casket, he flung his arms on top of it and buried his head in his arms, sobs wrenched uncontrollably from him. The tears rasped against his dry throat, chest heaving as his lungs fought for air.

Somewhere, a hand reached out and stroked his back, combing his blonde locks back from his face, a familiar voice speaking in his ear. Smaller hands tugged at his sleeve, begging to know if he was all right, and fear in the childish tones. But the third figure, a pedestal of strength of comfort, offered no word of security or hand to ease his pain; Thorin knew what Fili was going through, and shared it. He knew that Fili would have to discover for himself how to move on.

Sitting back, wiping a sleeve over his face, Fili let his mother embrace him and lead him away. It was time to bury the casket.

* * *

Stopping at the door of the church, Dis released Kili's hand a moment, pulling his hood over his head to protect it from getting wet; her eyes were dull with sorrow as she clasped one of his hands in hers again, and pressed a tissue to her face as more tears spilled from her eyes. Tears filling his own eyes, Kili threw his arms around her. Fear wormed through his soul; he had never seen his family like this before and it scared him.

Stepping into the rain, they stood mutely, unable to turn their eyes aside, as the casket was lowered into the ground. The hiss of the falling rain blended with the pastor's voice as he spoke a prayer for the soul's safe passage to heaven.

Noticing that one of the pastor's shoelaces was undone, Kili wondered if he had forgotten to tie it, and tried not to shuffle his feet as he tried checking his own shoelaces. Now that he was outside, the fear that had overwhelmed him indoors melted away, and he was ready to go home. Everything would be better once they were home.

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

**Three Weeks Later**

Leaving his toys aside, Kili went to find Fili, his expression troubled, a frown creasing his childish features. He knew that he shouldn't disturb his brother; Fili would've just gotten home from school, and would be trying feverishly to finish enough homework in time to watch their favorite program. Kili also knew that Fili would be just as likely to be sprawled across his bed as he supposedly tried to "figure out a problem" but was really wasting time until he could quit after putting in enough of an attempt (once again, in time for TV). But Kili had a question that needed an answer now, one that had slowly come to bother his mind and wouldn't be settled until it was asked.

Fili hardly glanced up as Kili entered the room. (He had a book open and was hurriedly scribbling away on a piece of paper.) "Not now, Kili. I'm busy," he stated absently, not waiting to hear what Kili wanted. He was on a roll and didn't want to lose his momentum.

Shuffling forward till he stood just beyond the doorway, he hesitantly rubbed the back of one leg with a foot and balled the hem of his shirt between both hands. "Fili, where's Da?" he asked.

Fili's back visibly stiffened, pencil freezing in mid-sentence to point upright. "He's gone," he answered tersely, voice choking as he got the words out, the unexpected question rendering him helpless against the surge of agony that came with it.

"Gone where?" Kili persisted, closing the gap between them even more as he pressed for a more definite answer. "I haven't seen him for a few days, where's he gone? And why didn't Da say good-bye?" His voice was petulant, like a child's, but the realization of what Fili's response meant was starting to dawn on him, and a memory tugged at the edges of his mind; one that he didn't want to remember.

"Because he's dead," Fili's shoulders trembled, a sob escaping his throat. "He's dead and we'll never see him again."

"No he's not!" Kili cried; childish hope leaving him stranded as the unimaginable broke on his conscious. "He wouldn't leave us!"

"Don't you get it!" Fili shouted, whirling around, fist pounding the back of his chair, anger and bitter sorrow contorting his face. "Don't you remember!? There was an accident," Fili's voice became hoarse as he sobbed convulsively. "We buried him several weeks ago." He shook his head, gaze becoming baleful as he glared at Kili. "You didn't even miss him," he accused.

"You're lying," Kili argued, stuttering over the words.

Shoving back his chair, Fili stalked towards Kili, his size suddenly menacing. "You, are nothing but a child," he spat, furious. "You can't remember anything!"

Hurt by Fili's words, Kili retaliated. "And you're wrong, Da can't be dead!" Too stubborn now to admit that Fili was right, that he had forgotten, Kili pushed the argument to the limit. "Da will come back, and you'll see that I was right!"

Realizing that he had gone too far, Kili braced himself as the sneer on Fili's face hardened and he stepped closer, knowing that Fili wouldn't let him get away without retribution for his reckless words.

* * *

Finished with putting the dishes away, Dis asked Thorin, "Are you certain you can stay for another week?" She flashed a grateful smile at him over her shoulder, "The boys and I have loved having you here to help us, especially since…" she bit back her words and changed what she'd been about to say. "And we'd love to have you stay longer, but I know it's hard for you to leave work, especially on such short notice." Taking a dishcloth, she wiped the counter down with confident, practiced strokes.

Thorin shook his head, cupping a mug of tea with his left hand, and propping his head up with his right, elbow braced on the table. "Dis, you worry too much," he commented fondly. "If I was needed back, they would let me know, but more importantly I need to be here for you and the boys."

A muffled shouting reached their ears, and Dis' expression became stricken, new lines of worry and sorrow becoming prominent around her hollowed eyes that had seen too many sleepless nights.

"They're fighting," she said hoarsely, dropping the hand towel and racing from the kitchen. Thorin followed swiftly behind her.

Reaching Fili's room, they found the door open and Fili and Kili fighting, each shouting incomprehensibly at the other. Pulling the boys apart, Dis gripped Kili by the arm, eyes scanning his face to place where the blood was coming from, while Thorin was forced to restrain Fili bodily.

"What do you think you are doing?!" Dis demanded, looking from one to the other.

Coming to his senses, Fili collapsed in Thorin's arms, his demeanor changing abruptly. Crying helplessly, almost choking on his words, he whispered, "Don't you get it Kili? Don't you get it?"

Biting his lip, Kili felt blood well up around his tongue from where he had bitten the inside of his cheek. Gulping, swallowing more blood than saliva, tears threatening to come, he gazed across the room at Fili, silently pleading for Fili to help him understand. His fight with Fili, the bruises he'd received, it was all becoming too real; he was finally realizing that Fili had told him the truth.

Terrified of how quickly the fight had gone out of Fili, Kili hoped to make up for it. Whimpering, he whispered, "Fili, I'm sorry! I do remember! It's just, I'm- I'm scared, I can't remember the last time I saw Da… I'm afraid that I'm forgetting Da," he mourned.

A low moan escaped Fili, but he made no answer.

Her glance pleading, Dis murmured to Thorin, "Can you look after him?"

Thorin nodded, his grip becoming embracing rather than restraining as he looked after his nephew.

Picking Kili up, Dis left the room. Flinging his arms around her neck, and burying his face against her shoulder, Kili let Dis carry him away, her comforting words brushing against his ear and vibrating into his body through hers.

Eyes closed tightly against the memories that insisted on coming, Kili couldn't help but remember; Thorin's words, that gray rainy day, and countless strangers gathered around. The scenes came vividly, more colorful then they'd been at the time: tolling bells; a loose shoelace; freshly overturned dirt; bouquets of flowers; and a yawning hole, gaping wide to receive the casket. There were other memories too, ones that he'd tried to block out: his mother crying on Thorin's shoulder; waking up in the middle of the night and listening to Fili and Dis talking, their voices broken from crying; and people telling him over and over again that his father would be so proud of how well he was coping. Though he'd been witness to it all, he hadn't come to terms with the truth; instead he had shrugged it off because he didn't understand.

Flinching back from the images, Kili felt truly wretched.

"Mother, is it true?" he begged. "Is Da really dead?"

Dis stroked his dark hair, sorrow brimming in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered.

Sniffling, Kili wiped his face with a hand then sat back to look her in the eyes. "I told Fili that he was wrong," he confessed. "I told him that Da would come back, I think I hurt Fili."

"Shh, hush little one," she soothed, but her heart ached for both of her sons, and she silently prayed for the right words to comfort them. "Thorin's with Fili, he'll help him," she reassured.

Hiding his face in her shoulder again, Kili mumbled, "I didn't mean to hurt him, I didn't mean to."

"I know, I know," Dis murmured.

* * *

Fili became inconsolable. The next few days, Fili moved through them as if he was a ghost, hardly eating, hardly doing anything, and never speaking a word. Whatever physical bruising Fili and Kili had sustained healed quickly, but whatever had snapped in Fili was still raw and hurting. And the more time that passed, the more apparent it was that Fili held Kili responsible for this new development; keeping it in, his feelings of hurt and betrayal festered, making it impossible for him to forgive Kili for his error.

Guilt gnawed at Kili, it was his fault, he had pushed Fili to this point, and now he didn't know how to make up for his blunder. With slow steps, his tiptoeing hushed on the carpet, Kili pressed his ear to Fili's door, checking to see if Fili was there. Assuming that he was, Kili quietly opened the door.

Fili was sprawled, as if in sleep, across his bed, his breathing deep and slow, but Kili could feel his brother's hostility like a physical presence.

"Fili," Kili asked softly.

Fili stirred, eyes partially opening before his head turned and his face was hidden.

"Uncle Thorin wants to see you," Kili informed him, quailing from saying anything more. No matter how many times he apologized, it didn't seem to make a difference.

There was a muffled, "hmm" but that was all the response he got.

Leaving the room, dejected, Kili returned to the kitchen where Dis and Thorin were talking. The adults turned to him expectantly as he entered. Sitting at opposite ends of the table, they appeared to have been having a discussion; Dis was wringing a wash towel between her hands, as was her habit when agitated, and Thorin looked solemn, but their expressions changed when Kili came in, becoming guarded.

Kili shrugged, rather apologetically. "Fili didn't say anything," he announced.

A look passed between them. Leaning across the table, Thorin placed a hand over both of Dis', his expression intent. "Let me take him, I think it'll be for the best." As an added thought, he finished, "For both of them."

Dis nodded in resignation. "All right."


	2. Chapter 1: Hollow Conversations

**_Chapter 1: Hollow Conversations_**

Hopping out of the car, Kili leaned on the door to hear the rest of what his friend was saying.

"You better hope you find it, or that'll be the third one you've misplaced in two months!" his friend laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll find it," Kili replied confidently, smiling jovially at the jest. "See you!" Giving a wave, he turned and jogged up the sidewalk.

The mid-afternoon sun threw the shadow of the apartment complex across his path, leaving part of the walk, and the bushes under the windows, in the cool shade. Kili had been lucky to find the apartments; the rent was cheap, and the space roomy enough for a solitary bachelor. After completing school, it'd been paramount that he find a place for himself, and a job, and he'd succeeded in finding both in quick succession.

Seventeen years had passed since he'd had his childhood fight with Fili, during that time, Fili had been living with Thorin (at least, until he had moved out). The arrangement had had two benefits; one, it made things easier on Dis; and two, it had allowed Fili to recover from the loss of losing their father. The downside was that Fili and Kili had grown up separated. Kili had fond memories of playing with Fili when they'd been younger, but after Fili moved in with Thorin, there had only been a handful of visits a year, mostly on holidays and birthdays. Sometimes Fili would even spend part of the summer at home, or Kili would go to Thorin's; but to Kili, Fili was now a stranger, and Fili no longer treated Kili like a close friend. Eventually, Kili had accepted that the friendship he'd had with Fili was gone, and had moved on.

Even now, when they were older, there was still a barrier between them, but it didn't have the same overwhelming effect. Now, when Fili and Kili happened to visit their mother at the same time, they could enjoy spending time together, but they weren't close and would probably never be.

It didn't take Kili long to find his missing phone (typically, it was sitting in his room), and send a text to his friend announcing that he had found it. Lounging back on his bed, he scanned through the messages and discovered that his mother had left a voice message.

A little surprised, but not concerned, Kili played the message, mostly wondering why she would be calling.

"Hi Kili," the recording said. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to catch you while you were in, but I was hoping you'd be able to come down this weekend. It'll be the anniversary you know, and I was hoping we could pay a visit to the gravesite." There was a slight pause, "And Fili will be coming. Kili, I'd like for all of us to be able to do this together, it's the least we can do," the last part was a plea. The message ended with, "Call me back when you get my message."

Tucking a hand under his head to pillow it, and resting the phone on his chest, Kili's countenance was considering. He didn't have to think about whether or not he should go, that was a given, but it was the nature of the visit that made him uneasy.

Every year, as if it was a tradition (which it probably was now), on the anniversary of his father's death, they had gone to visit his grave, regardless of the weather or anything else. It was the one time when things became strained between Fili and Kili again. Kili was willing to acknowledge the date, but he loathed returning to the cemetery since he was helpless to do anything to assuage his mother or brother's grief. Only because they wanted him there did he go, only for Dis and Fili did he go.

But that wasn't why Dis had been pleading with him at the end of the message. The reason was because she wanted him to remember that Fili was his brother and to put aside any grievances they had. She wanted them to be united as a family, just this once, and not make the day worse by arguing.

Musing over it, vibration against his fingers suddenly distracted him. Rolling over onto his side, he returned his friend's text, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and then stalled indecisively over whether to get up and find something to do or make another call. Of course he would have to return his mother's call, but there was someone else he wanted to talk to. His fingers chose for him. Scrolling through his contacts, they came to rest on a rarely used number.

Chewing his lower lip nervously, he listened to it ring, wondering if it'd been a good idea to call in the first place.

* * *

"Have you talked to the others about this idea?" Fili asked, taking a sip from his glass. "It's only a theory," he reminded. "How can you be sure that it's not just you?"

Thorin glanced at him. "You've experienced it too," he pointed out.

Running his eyes over the papers spread before him, Fili could well imagine the hours of work Thorin had put into them. They covered the table between them, not a speck of its surface to be seen, and every sheet was covered with carefully arranged information. He didn't know where Thorin acquired all his information from, but Fili knew that it was more than just curiosity that drove Thorin to find answers.

"And how long will it take for you to find more proof?" Fili inquired, ignoring the reminder that he too had experienced it. He would've preferred to ignore it and forget about it when it happened, it was simpler that way, but he was in it too deep to not be interested. Thorin felt that it was important and was the driving force behind it. Positive in his beliefs, he carried the brunt of it; it rested on him to carry it out, whether it stood or fell, it all came down to him.

In the space of time after his question, Fili's phone rang, successfully putting a halt to their conversation. His hand immediately dropped to his pocket, and as the last chords of the ring tone died away he remembered the he'd left it in the living room.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" Thorin asked after it rang a second time, glancing at him.

"It's probably Mother," Fili replied, exiting Thorin's home office. "She'll be checking to see when I'll be getting in," he called back over his shoulder. "You'll be coming too, right?" he asked as he picked up the phone, but Thorin didn't answer, preferring not to call across the house. There would be time enough after Fili finished answering the phone.

Glancing at the number, Fili couldn't remember if it was the right one, but the area code looked familiar. Answering it, he said, "Hello?"

"Hey Fili," Kili replied cheerfully. From his tone, Fili could vividly picture the lopsided smile that would be on his face.

"Kili?" he answered a beat later, surprised. "Why are you calling?"

"Mother told me you'd be there this weekend."

"Yeah," Fili confirmed. "And I assume you're going to be there too?" Fili leaned against the wall, folding his arms. It felt natural talking to Kili like this, more so than when they were face to face.

"I wouldn't dream of skipping," Kili responded, laughing slightly.

_ At one point you would'v_e, Fili thought, but didn't say it out loud. It was pleasant talking to Kili, he didn't want to ruin it, and it'd been a while since he'd had such harsh thoughts about his younger brother, it wasn't fair to bring those thoughts into the chat when Kili had made the effort of calling him.

"Traveling by the usual method of course," Kili added.

"Ditto," Fili agreed, smiling.

"Is Thorin coming?" Kili asked, some of the laughter leaving his voice.

Fili shrugged, "I'm not sure, he's been busy lately. I think he was planning on it."

"What's he been doing that would keep him away?" Kili sounded somewhat incredulous.

"Work," Fili answered vaguely.

There had been enough times before when Thorin hadn't come because of work, and not just on the anniversary of their father's death. Lesser holidays, and family-get-togethers were events that Thorin willing skipped, always giving the same vague answer of work. Dis seemed to understand what her older brother was doing, but neither Fili nor Kili really understood what it was that could captivate him so entirely that he didn't show up, although Fili was starting to understand.

"What's so important about it that it'd keep him away?" Kili demanded bluntly.

Hesitating, Fili wasn't sure how much he should tell. Kili had never been involved with it before. Growing up under Thorin's care, Fili had been introduced to it early on (though he hadn't understood it at the time), and now that he was grown up, Thorin was getting him involved with it more and more. Fili often got the distinct feeling that Thorin was hoping that he'd take enough interest in it to take over some of it. Not surprisingly, Fili was interested in it, and hoped that he'd live up to Thorin's expectations, but he didn't know how much was safe to tell Kili.

"It's complicated," he finally answered. "I honestly don't know much about it myself, and if I did, I'm not sure that I'd be able to explain it."

"I see," Kili said slowly, his flat tone indicating that he didn't understand and that he felt that Fili was closing him out on purpose.

Stretching across the distance, the silence grew between them, uncomfortably heavy. From the clock in the hall, Fili could hear the seconds ticking away, loud and demanding, asking him why he didn't say something to ease Kili's feelings of injustice. Away in his office, Thorin shuffled some papers, the small sound driving out every idea Fili had had about what he could've said. There wasn't anything to say that he could think of that would make things better; Kili would just have to decide for himself whether or not Fili was hiding anything from him.

Bridging the uncomfortable silence that'd grown between them, Kili's voice was more upbeat as he picked up talking again. "Well, aside from being busy, how is Thorin?"

"Same as ever," Fili responded, grin returning, glad that Kili had given them something else to talk about. "What about yourself? I'll admit, I was surprised to receive your call, I don't often hear from you."

"I know," Kili agreed, forcing his laugh to sound light hearted, "I think this must be a first. But I'm doing all right. And you?"

"Same as ever, but I'm glad to hear from you," Fili remarked.

"Yeah, same here, but we'd be seeing each other soon enough," Kili mentioned.

"That's true," Fili conceded, almost wistfully; already the conversation was winding down and it seemed that they'd hardly said anything to each other.

"It was great talking to you," Kili finally said, bringing it to a close. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, see you soon," Fili repeated.

Without any good-byes, or any other term of endearment, they hung up.

Rejoining Thorin, Fili sat down with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. Things would be different between them when they saw each other in a few days, that was for sure, but he couldn't tell if it was for better or worse. With anyone else, he would've believed that it'd be for the better, but he couldn't imagine that one phone call would make any difference. He hoped that it wouldn't cause a drastic change, if anything, make things even more complicated between them, but there had to be a limit to how strained things could become without snapping.

"That was Kili?" Thorin observed, breaking into Fili's thoughts.

"Yeah, he just wanted to talk. And he was wondering if you would be there this weekend."

Thorin frowned at the table, pondering it. "Do you think Kili gets them too?" he asked suddenly, tapping the papers for clarification when Fili gazed at him blankly.

"I don't know, we've never talked about it," Fili replied. Guiltily, he remembered that there were a lot of things that he didn't know about Kili.

For himself, Thorin had to wonder if there was ever much said between his nephews, but he didn't share his thoughts out loud. "I want you to do something for me," he said suddenly. "I'm probably not going to be there this weekend." He held up a hand to stem Fili's question of why, and continued seriously, "Because I need to meet with someone who's been helping me. He thinks he's found an important piece of information. In the meantime, could you ask Kili about whether or not he gets them too?"

When would he get the chance to ask that? Fili couldn't imagine how he'd bring that one up, but he nodded anyway. "Sure, I can do that."

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

Thinking ahead only enough to plan to leave early Friday afternoon, Kili had to rush to pack what he needed into a duffle bag. He'd made the trip frequently enough, packing for it was almost automatic, but there were still some items that took an extra effort to remember; such as his toothbrush and toothpaste. But luckily, if he forgot anything, Dis had a collection of his belongings that had been left behind from previous visits.

Satisfied that he had everything, he tossed the bag into the backseat, put the key in the ignition, and eased the car out of the parking lot.

Traffic was light, as it was only the beginning of the afternoon, and rush-hour was still many hours away. By then, Kili would be at his destination. It was only a two hour trip, an easy enough distance, but one that made it preferable to stay the night instead of returning home. For Fili it was a longer distance, he would be flying in, and it usually meant that he arrived later and left earlier, but during his stay he would also be lodging in Dis' house; Kili in his old bedroom, Fili in the guest room.

Kili's thoughts drifted over the course of his phone call with Fili for most of the trip, brooding over the points that had stuck out at him. It had gone better than he had expected, once they fell into the swing of talking, it'd been easy. The one thing that itched at him was Fili's lack of a real answer when it came to what Thorin was doing. He felt that Fili did know what was going on, and it irked him to not know what it was.

The day's temperatures were just starting to reach their peak as Kili drove through the familiar streets of his mother's neighborhood. Having spent his childhood here, the streets and houses were like friendly faces; all they lacked were his childhood playmates. Like him, they had spread out and gone their own ways, he couldn't even say where any lived now.

The prominent mountains in the background, the pillowing clouds in the sky, the leafy spread of the trees throughout the neighborhood, they were all part of his old haunts. His father and mother had chosen the place shortly after they were married, both Fili and Kili had been born here, and they both recollected a majority of their childhood back to here. It was where they had made their home, and no matter where Kili went, he felt most at home here.

Pulling up in front of the house, Kili climbed out of the car, and stopped. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he gazed at the mountains, suddenly struck by how familiar they were. He had seen them many times over the years whenever he'd visited Dis, but now, they were familiar in another way. The place was right, the setting was right, but the appearance was wrong. He knew this place as well as he knew his own face, but he knew this other view of it even better.

Shaking his head, and smiling self-deprecatingly, he dispelled such thoughts and grabbed his duffle bag. They'd come to him before, these moments of de` ja vu, usually accompanied by the feeling that he was supposed to be somewhere else, but he'd learned to shake them off. It was only his imagination.

Letting himself in through the front door, he caught the murmur of voices coming from the kitchen followed by laughter and amused talking, as if someone was telling an entertaining story. Dumping his bag in the hall, he slowly walked towards the kitchen, taking time to study the family portraits as he passed them.

He could easily guess who was in there, and he wanted to savor listening to the relaxed tones of his brother's voice for as long as he could. Though Fili didn't try to exclude him, Kili always got the feeling that Fili never fully opened up around him. Afterwards, after he and Fili had gone their separate ways again, it usually frustrated him, and often saddened him, but whenever he happened to catch Fili unaware he liked to listen to how sincerely happy his brother was.

Delaying just out of sight, a few feet away from the kitchen doorway, Kili could hear Dis and Fili conversing, but the laughter he'd heard just moments before wasn't there anymore; instead they were talking fondly of how the previous visit had gone.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, and striding forward without any of his prior hesitation, Kili entered the kitchen with a smile. "Fili, I didn't realize that you'd be arriving so soon," he commented, usually he was the first one there.

"I managed to get an early flight," Fili replied, returning Kili's smile, but there was a puzzled frown over his eyes, like he was trying to place something.

Kili didn't know what to make of the look; it was as if Fili was seeing something he wasn't expecting to see. Not having spoken since the phone call, Kili had been half hoping that things would be little better between them, but Fili's casual welcome indicated that nothing had changed. Or if it had, Fili wasn't showing any sign of it yet.

"I take it you had a safe drive, Kili?" Dis asked, giving him a hug and distracting him from the mystery of Fili's reaction.

"As safe as usual," Kili replied smiling affectionately at her. Sometimes her motherly attentions were overwhelming, but there were times when he didn't mind receiving them. "Did Thorin decide not to come?" he asked Fili.

Fili shook his head, "He had a meeting with someone, but he might show up for a moment if he gets the chance."

Of an equal height, Fili and Kili were opposites in appearances. Taking after their father, blonde haired, blue eyed, Fili's hair brushed a little below his shoulders, neatly swept back from his face. The fringe of a beard and moustache covered his lower jaw and upper lip, handsomely clipped into shape. In comparison, Kili had Dis' looks; unruly dark brown hair (that was a little shorter in length than Fili's), and brown eyes that often sparkled with mischief, with the shadow of a beard that had yet to grow anywhere near as long as Fili's. Whereas Fili's hair was neatly tamed, Kili often left his loose, and in effect it often got in his face.

The elder by five years, Fili was more mature, but even without the age difference, they were of different personalities, and if they hadn't become estranged they might've been good friends.

Taking the initiative to spend time with her sons, Dis placed cookies on the table then inquired as to what they would like to drink, her brown eyes bright with the need to look after them. "Are you thirsty Kili? What about you, Fili? Would either of you like something to drink?"

Sharing an amused glance with Kili, Fili took a seat at the table. "I'm good, I don't need anything," he answered, grabbing a cookie and biting into it.

Catching Dis' eye, Kili shook his head, "I'm fine too. I still have my drink left over from the drive."

Satisfied that they had been taken care of, Dis sat across from Fili, and Kili trailed her, taking a seat at the end of the table.

"I hear you've been working with Thorin of late?" Dis said, picking up her conversation with Fili from where it'd left off.

"Yeah, Thorin has been allowing me to assist him, but only with minor things," Fili replied amiably, slinging an arm over the back of his chair.

Explaining further, Fili expounded on the details, making it a little clearer for them, but not giving anything away. Reduced to listening and watching as his mother and brother interacted, Kili felt like he had when he was a kid and Fili was home for a visit. He'd been left out of the conversations, left to sit in the corner and listen, all the while longing for Fili to talk to him, or at least show that he knew Kili existed. Worst of all was that he knew Fili did acknowledge him; though his position was causal, there was something tense about the way Fili was sitting, and it indicated that he was very much aware of Kili's presence. Even after their talk on the phone, things were strained between them.

The fact twisted bitterly in his stomach, slapping him in the face. Hadn't he been talking easily to Fili a few days before? Hadn't he attempted time and again to make things right between him and his older brother? Most of his childhood had been spent with regret, regret for the harm that he'd done. Wasn't it enough that he'd apologized over and over again every time he saw Fili? But it looked like it wasn't and that it would never be.

Warm and clean, with a hint of pine scent in the air, Dis kept excellent care of her house and it was comforting to be in familiar settings, even if things were far from customary for the time being. Taking a cookie, the usual delicious flavor was lost on Kili as it crumbled in his mouth, and stuck in his throat, making him wish that he had accepted Dis' offer for a drink. Childish as it was, milk would've gone well with the cookie, and it would've relieved his dry throat.

Leaving the table, he lingered by the sink, downing glass after glass of water, swilling each gulp around his mouth before swallowing, trying to get rid of the parched feeling that filled him. The water felt good and cool, all too soon racing away down his throat, only to be replaced by another mouthful, but it wasn't enough. It would never fill the well of emptiness that yawned in him.

Abandoning his futile attempts to wash away his sullen mood, he choked on the last gulp, breathing too soon and sending some droplets of water down his windpipe.

"Kili?" Dis called. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he gasped out, making his way back to the table. "Just fine."

Reluctant to believe him, Dis' eyes voiced concern, but she didn't press him, and waveringly, still hesitant to dismiss his reassurances, carried on with the conversation. "Tomorrow I thought that we could go shortly after lunch," she said, answering the question Fili had asked before Kili started coughing. "The weather forecast predicts that it'll be sunny by then."

"For what?" Kili asked, irritated that he'd lost track of the conversation.

"Father's grave," Fili answered tersely, giving him a look that said that he should've known that. "What's the weather like earlier?" he asked Dis.

"Cloudy, with a lingering fog, I believe," Dis replied.

Fili nodded. "Later sounds best then. What do you think Kili?" he asked, sparing a glance in his direction.

"Yeah, sure, later sounds great," Kili replied, looking away. He didn't want to read whatever was in Fili's eyes, he was sure that it would only drag his spirits down lower.

* * *

Energy exhausted, and sick of listening to a conversation that he wasn't a part of, Kili closed himself in his room. While talk, cookies, and water were fine for lifting one's spirits, it didn't compare to the luxury of a nap after a long drive. Accustomed to such drives, Kili rarely felt the need to recover from them, but it was a handy excuse to escape from his feeling of being hemmed in.

He couldn't explain it, not to himself at least, what it was that made him feel that he had fallen back into old patterns, but it stirred his ire; ire at how Fili behaved, ire at his wish for things to be different, and most all, ire at his disappointment. He'd thought he'd moved on from such emotions, but he'd let his guard down with the hope the phone call had given him.

A signaling beep reached his ear, alerting him that a text message had just come in. Wary of getting caught up in another discussion, he felt an immediate rise in his spirits when he saw that it was from Gimli.

In many ways, Gimli was Fili's replacement. Alone, and stranded, without anyone to play with, Kili had found a fast friend in Gimli, and they'd spent most of their childhood getting into mischief together. Even as grown-ups, they continued to be close, though Gimli didn't live as close as he used to, and they still hung out whenever they could. Gimli was aware of how things were with Fili and Kili, and he knew that every year they visited their father's grave, but he never tried to get involved and held his tongue when it came to his opinion of the circumstances.

"Hey, I'm in town for a few days, are you available?" the message read.

"Gimli!" Kili typed cheerfully. "It's good to hear from you. I'm out of town for the weekend, that time of year again."

The reply came swiftly. "Oh, right, I forgot about that. When will you be back?"

"Sunday evening, late, will you be around still?"

"Yep, we'll meet up when you get back."

There was brief space of waiting, Kili could almost read what Gimli's hesitation meant, and as he expected, the little icon popped up to let him know that Gimli was typing again.

"How are things over there?"

"Same," Kili replied wryly.

"Ah, well, what about yourself? Have you been keeping in line?"

"You know me; I'm always on my best behavior." But the grin on his face was full of irrepressible humor, all traces of his black mood driven away for the moment.

"Sure," Gimli returned, not believing. "Well, I'll let you go for now, and if you happen to see my parents while you're there say hi for me, and I'll see you Monday."

"All right, see you."

Mood much improved from his short chat with Gimli, Kili left his room, ready to rejoin his mother and brother; this time determined not to let his hopes get the better of him.


	3. Chapter 2: Far Too Different

**_Chapter 2: Far Too Different_**

Waking early, Fili quickly recollected where he was, and padded softly from the guest room down the hall. He was alone, everyone else still locked in slumber, and the house dark with the early dawn. The sky in the east was rosy, the pastel yellow ball that was the sun peeking just above the houses; but above the pale horizon, heavy woolen gray clouds hovered bleakly, promising that there would be rain and fulfilling the weather prediction. Fog slunk sluggishly over the ground, coming down from the nearby mountains and cloaking whatever beauty there would've been in the dawn.

It was typical that he was only one awake yet, he usually woke before everyone else. It'd been that way even while growing up at Thorin's place; once his mind woke up, he was up, and there was no going to sleep again.

Claiming a corner of the couch, he read to pass the time, comfortable in the casual shirt and sweat pants he'd slept in. There were times when it was bothersome having to be quiet in the early hours, but he didn't want to disturb Dis. He wasn't worried about waking Kili; Kili was dead to the world, and wouldn't wake up until late in the morning. Once Dis got up he'd find something better to do, but until then he kept quiet.

The small sounds of the house disappeared, pushed back into second place as he became absorbed into his book. Wan sunlight crept across the floor, its minute movements invisible, as the hour passed slowly. Not paying attention, Fili missed the quiet snick of Dis' door opening and wasn't aware that she was awake until she came into the room.

"Morning Mister Bedhead, have you been up long?" she asked, smiling and gently teasing him about his unkempt appearance. It was a pleasant change to wake up to her oldest child already up. Though Thorin had kept her well informed on how Fili was doing, the years when he'd lived with her brother hadn't made up for the loss of knowing his habits and quirks.

Fingering the ends of his hair, and glancing down at his clothes, Fili wasn't sure how bad it looked, but he was positive that he at least needed to brush his hair. "A while," he admitted.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Dis, heading into the kitchen.

"Yeah, about the same as usual," he called back, shrugging as he dropped his book onto a side table and followed her into the kitchen.

The dishwasher hissed as it was opened and a glass chinked as Dis put it away. Once the rest were put away, she pulled out a pan to prepare breakfast. "I'm going to make breakfast now, would you like some?" she asked.

"Yes please," Fili replied, taking a seat at the table. "Would you like any help?" he offered, though he was admittedly a poor cook.

"No, I can do it myself," she replied, tossing a smile at him over her shoulder. "Although you can put the coffee on if you want something to do."

"Ah, sure," he answered, scanning the counters to see if it was out before rummaging through the cabinets for the elusive device. Finding little that looked like a coffee maker; his only success was in messing up her carefully arranged pots and pans, and in finding the coffee filters

Dis laughed as he displayed the extent of his success, and shooed him back. "It's all right; I can look after it myself. Go sit down and I'll join you in a moment."

Gratefully, he did as she suggested. A bowl of cereal was his usual method of breakfast, if he had one, but he wasn't liable to miss out on a meal, especially when Dis cooked it. She seemed determined to make up for his absence at her table by stuffing it all into him all at once whenever he visited, and he enjoyed the pampering. Although he was often reticent around his family, it was mostly from lack of time with them and feeling that he had been left behind in the pattern of their lives.

Skillful in the arts of cooking, after having many years of practice and enjoying cooking as a hobby, Dis had breakfast ready in short time. Fluffy scrambled eggs, freshly cooked bacon, and lightly toasted bagels, there was plenty to choose from, and there was also an assortment of fruit in the refrigerator. She was providing the works.

Putting the plates down, and placing the food on the table for free selection, she took her seat and helped herself to a bagel while Fili filled his plate.

"You know," Dis commented. "Sometimes, I feel that this house is too big for one woman to live in alone."

"What do you mean?" Fili asked, halting in his work of piling his plate, startled at what Dis might be talking about.

Biting into her bagel, Dis chewed thoughtfully before answering. "Of late, the idea has been pressing on me, especially with Kili out of the house, I really have no need for so much room."

Uncomfortable with the topic, Fili took the opportunity to eat a mouthful. The thought of his mother going elsewhere disturbed him. He hadn't spent much time here, but it held the first half of his childhood, the thought of losing that was unthinkable.

Composing his words, he hoped that it was just a passing fancy of hers. "Have you considered it carefully? I mean, you can't decide rashly and then try to undo it. Wouldn't it be better to talk about this later? And Kili's not even up," he pointed out.

"Yes, you're right, we can talk about it later," Dis conceded, rubbing her forehead.

Unsure of what else he could say, he offered tentatively, "Should I go wake Kili up?"

"Hmm?" Dis inquired absently, and then snapped back to attention. "Actually, yes; yes, you should. He should've been up by now."

Relieved that he had stalled such talk for the time being, he left to get Kili, pushing the conversation to the back of his mind. They would talk about it eventually, it couldn't be avoided forever (unless Dis removed such thoughts from her head), but hopefully it wouldn't be brought up again for a good long while.

Entering Kili's room, he flicked on the lights, unconcerned about getting a reaction; his younger brother was sound asleep, lying on his stomach, with his head under the pillow, utterly oblivious. The room was clean with sparse furnishings; a dresser, a bedside table, a desk, and bookshelves, that was all. A few toys leftover from childhood, that Kili had been especially attached to, sat on the dresser, while old schoolbooks filled the bookshelves, but it held nothing that belonged to the adult Kili- unless it was the duffle bag sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Deciding how best to wake Kili, Fili wondered if now would be a good time to ask Kili Thorin's question. He wasn't sure if he would get another chance, and Kili would be sleepy, and less on his guard. But there was also the risk that he might be unwilling to talk; Kili was famous for his grumpy attitude in the morning. Making up his mind, Fili chose to wait on asking till he saw how Kili took to being woken up.

Grabbing the pillow, Fili unceremoniously whacked Kili with it, and then held it at bay when Kili sought to get it back.

"Come on, Kili, it's time to get up," Fili announced, stepping back as he dodged Kili's groping hand.

"Leave me alone," Kili grumbled, giving up on trying to get his pillow back and ducking his head under the covers.

"Mom said you need to get up and that breakfast is ready," Fili replied, dropping the pillow and taking away the covers.

Denied of his blankets, Kili flopped back onto his belly and buried his face in his arms. "Save some for me," he muttered.

"No way, I'm not letting you get away with this!" Climbing onto the bed, Fili wrapped Kili's head in a headlock and noogied him.

Indignant at the rude awakening, Kili protested loudly against it, though he was slow to react. "Fili!" Kili shouted as he struggled to free himself, meeting with little success. "Fili, lay off!" he complained.

Halting, but not letting him go, Fili asked, "Are you getting up now?"

"Yes," Kili grumbled, plopping back onto the bed once Fili released him, closing his eyes again. "I'm too old for this," he groaned.

"Come on, Kili," Fili encouraged cheerfully. "You told me that you were getting up. Now get off of there before I whack you with this pillow again."

"I can't believe Mother sent you," Kili muttered, finally hauling himself out of bed. "There is no way that she agreed to this sort of treatment."

"No, I'm sure she would've thought better of it if she had known what I was going to do," Fili remarked companionably.

"You stay out of it, I'm having a serious discussion with myself," Kili retorted, shooting a sleepy-eyed glare in his direction. Kneeling beside his duffle bag, he hunted through for it a change of clothes, his gray t-shirt and navy blue shorts not good enough to be worn around the house.

"You do that," Fili replied drily, trying to judge how alert Kili was. Though a little snappy and disgruntled, Kili didn't seem terribly upset with his wake up call, and his lethargic movements were mostly for dramatics. Fili felt that he might be able to draw Kili into a conversation without too much trouble if he went about it the right way.

"Kili, do you ever wonder if there are other worlds out there?" Fili asked quietly, seriously.

"What?" Kili demanded, yawning widely, turning to stare at him, a clean shirt in hand.

"You heard me," Fili replied, returning the look. "Do you think there are other worlds out there?"

Kili gazed at him unblinkingly a moment longer, then slowly shook his head, and pulled out some jeans. "I'm not a Star Trek fan if that's what you're wondering," he answered wryly. "Now leave so I can change."

Taken aback at Kili's belief of why he was asking, Fili missed his opportunity to explain himself. Huffing out a slightly frustrated breath, he did as Kili asked, hoping that he hadn't made things worse for the next time he tried.

"Wait," Kili called, following him to the door and leaning on the doorframe, one eyebrow raised in questioning surprise. "Didn't you sleep in those clothes?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah," Fili replied, realizing that he had and not understanding why it mattered.

A grin broke across Kili's face, as it he'd been told a great joke. "Really, Fili? I'm going to be dressed before you? When have you ever let that happen?" he laughed.

Fili shook his head, laughing too. "I still have a chance to beat you, so you better hurry and change before I do."

Kili snorted. "Yeah right, there is no way I'm letting this chance go!" he said, teasing, as he shut the door.

Still shaking his head and laughing, Fili returned to his room to get changed, postponing thoughts of how he would broach the subject of Thorin's question again.

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

Arriving early at the university gardens, Thorin checked his watch, anticipation filling him. The clear morning poured a refreshing amount of sunlight over the flowers and shrubs, spilling from the tree boughs above and causing the sun spots to dance sparklingly across the path as the leaves fluttered and swayed in the light wind. As it was a weekend, there was hardly anyone about in the gardens, the university students preferring to sleep in or do other things then observe the beauty of the gardens.

_Soon_, Thorin thought, strolling along the paths. _Soon, I will learn more_. Not quite immune to the display of nature around him, Thorin had more preoccupying thoughts on his mind to lessen the effect of the gardens on him. He enjoyed it immensely, for the little attention he could spare it, but he wouldn't have come here on this particular morning if it weren't for the fact that he was meeting someone.

Impatient as he was to start the meeting, he hadn't been given clear directions as to where they were supposed to meet, so he wandered the garden paths and took pleasure in the sights around him while he could afford to notice them.

Subconsciously, he wondered how his nephews were doing, if Fili had been able to talk to Kili yet, but he didn't doubt what they would be doing today. As fair a Saturday as it was, it was almost a shame that his sister and her sons would be spending it at a cemetery, mourning the dead instead of celebrating the living. But Thorin would've willingly joined them, if he could. Dis' husband had been a good friend of his, and it was a shame that the boys had had to grow up fatherless.

Finding a bench beside the path, Thorin welcomed the chance for a respite. He wouldn't hasten the hour of his meeting any closer by searching. Turning his face to the sun and closing his eyes, the sound of a birdsong's trill came to his ear, high and light on the morning air.

"A truly marvelous place, this garden," a familiar voice remarked. "It is especially enjoyable in the morning."

"Gandalf," Thorin greeted, opening his eyes and smiling.

The tall, thin old man, who stood before him, smiled back. A professor of the university, Gandalf Grey spent his days teaching the young and studying. Though venerable in years, he was still hale and nobody dared to dream of asking him to retire or quit.

"You know, my friend, Radagast Brown, is the one who thought these grounds needed a garden, and I do believe that he was right," Gandalf commented, taking a seat on the bench.

"What news do you have for me?" asked Thorin, too eager to hear what Gandalf had to say to care much for the history of the grounds.

Gandalf nodded, but held his tongue, debating how to phrase his words. "It's an interesting study that you've chosen, Thorin, one that I must say that I am not familiar with. Not even my colleague, Saruman White, knew much about it."

"Do all you friends have names that come from a color palette?" Thorin asked drily.

"Well, I do have another friend who has the last name of Blue, and one of my students is a Green," Gandalf replied good-naturedly. "But as I was saying, your request presented an interested case for me, and I'm afraid that my results are not satisfactory."

"Well, what did you find?" Thorin demanded, impatient with all this beating about the bush. He just wanted Gandalf to come out and say it.

Gandalf gazed at him solemnly. "Thorin, I think this conversation is best to be taken inside."

"All right," Thorin agreed, barely hiding his irritation. As often as he enjoyed talking with Gandalf, he respected him for his vast wealth of knowledge, but now was not the time for appreciating that quality. He followed Gandalf to his office, the contrast between outside and inside was sharp, but Gandalf's office was well lit with many windows showing the vast scapes of the university lawns. Taking a seat across from him, he leaned over the desk to quickly initiate conversation.

"What were you going to say that you didn't want to be spoken outside?" he inquired.

"Have you heard of an item called the Arkenstone?" Gandalf asked, eyes glowing with an intensity inspired by his passion of learning and sharing that wisdom.

"I've heard of it," Thorin answered cautiously, knowing nothing more about it than its name, a vague memory of a white stone coming to mind.

"It's a natural stone of marvelous make, unlike any other in the world," Gandalf clarified. "Imbued with unique qualities, there have been many studies done on it, trying to find the extent of its powers, but no one has quite had the guts to do anything with it for fear of destroying it."

Reaching into his desk, Gandalf pulled out a printed picture and passed it to Thorin. Though the quality of the image was bad, clearly printed off the internet, Thorin recognized the stone immediately. Although he had only seen it once before, and had only barely remembered its name, he remembered that this was indeed the Arkenstone.

"It has a strange history," Gandalf continued, leaning back in his chair. "There is no definite answer as to where it came from, but it is said that it was found in a farmer's field. The farmer who owned the field claimed that his great-grandfather had found it in the mountains, but no one knows if he was telling the truth. Given that it's the only story of its origination, some people have taken to calling it the 'Heart of the Mountain'. The fact is though, that the stone has remarkable abilities."

"And you're telling me this… why?" Thorin was intrigued by the mystery of the stone's appearance, the story called to him in some way, but he couldn't fathom how it connected to his search.

"Because I believe that the Arkenstone is the key to solving your problem," Gandalf replied gravely.

Excitement thrilling in him, he grasped at this opportunity eagerly. "How?" he demanded, pulse quickening. "How can it help?"

"That's the part that I'm not sure about," Gandalf admitted apologetically.

Shocked, the wind taken from his sails, Thorin sank back in his seat, stunned at this revelation. "But, you said…" Composing himself, a surge of anger replaced his former excitement. "But you said that it would be the key! That you knew how to use it!"

"I said no such thing," Gandalf retorted, irritated now himself. "I said that I _believed_ it would be the key, not that it was!"

"Why bother telling me this, if you were only playing with words?" Thorin asked sullenly, thumping the desk with the flat of his palm, not pleased with the turn of events.

"Because I know someone who can help us." Gandalf looked at him intently, daring Thorin to doubt his word a second time.

"No, I don't want anyone else involved," Thorin stated, refusing to give quarter for discussion.

"Stubborn fool," Gandalf muttered under his breath. Calming himself, he said plainly, "But this is your best chance, he knows more than we do about these things."

"Is he another one of those friends of yours?" Thorin asked bluntly, relenting a bit but not willing to completely give in. "You know, with the color palette last name?"

"No, he is not." Gandalf smiled, glad that some sense was finally being made. "Here, I'll give you his card, and you can call him yourself. Maybe you'll decide to trust him after all."

"All right," Thorin conceded, putting the card in his pocket. Resting his forearms on the desk, he smiled amiably at his friend, his good humor returned now that their argument had past. "Now, I want to hear how you came to this conclusion that the Arkenstone is what we need."

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

Cramped in the backseat, Kili woke from his nap to the car still moving. Lifting his head, he glanced out the window, not recognizing the scenery, but realizing that they were almost there. In the front seat, Dis drove, her position hardly altered from when he had fallen asleep. But in the passenger seat Fili was slumped against the door; either he had also taken a nap, or he was weary of driving.

"How much further till we get there?" Kili asked.

Looking at him through the rearview mirror, Dis answered, "Not much longer. You've only been asleep for about forty-five minutes."

"Is Fili asleep?" he checked, stretching.

"Yes," she replied.

"No I'm not," Fili muttered, although his voice was groggy.

Dis smiled faintly, but didn't change her answer.

Satisfied, Kili sat upright, resting his forehead against the window. It was only an hour and a half drive, but he hadn't even bothered trying to stay awake the whole time. For Fili, it was a different story, he was still a little jet lagged, so it was understandable if he decided to nap, but all Kili had to say in his defense was that he enjoyed sleeping.

As predicted, the weather had cleared up, giving them a beautiful cerulean blue sky, though it did little to ease the brooding disquiet that had come between the three. Regardless of how many times they made this trip, it was always hard. There wasn't even a trace of the fleeting display of brotherly affection from the morning; all of it was replaced with the strained unease.

Spotting the hill where the cemetery was, Kili sat up straight, discomfort clamping tighter on him. Located on the foothills of the mountains, it had a wonderful view; the proud sides of the mountains cutting into the sky, the foothills rolling away into the drum of civilization, and the purple tainted horizon surrounding it all, but the place was ominous and held only sorrow for Kili.

Winding through the hills, the road led up to the cemetery parking lot, doubling as the church's parking lot too, and then a path that wound through the graves took over. Stopping the car, Dis touched Fili's shoulder, but she needn't have because he was already awake. Relieved to be able to stretch out the kinks, Kili paced around the car, hands shoved into his pockets as he studied the nearby hills.

Taking the lead, Dis led them on the path toward the grave, passing under the shadow of the church's front doors; with Fili walking beside her, and Kili trailing behind. A sorrow seemed to fall over her soul, obscuring the steady compassion and comfort that she usually displayed.

"After all these years, it seems that it hasn't changed," Dis remarked softly, indicating the scene around them.

Fili's reply was just as quiet, but left in the back, Kili couldn't hear it and didn't see the changes that came over his mother and brother. Having been here in these circumstances many times before, he knew what they were going through, what they were feeling; he knew it as well as he knew the feeling of his own grief as it surfaced again.

Time has a funny way of changing things. Their grief had never left, it was always there, a hollow, reminding them that they had lost something, but instead of diminishing or becoming easier to bear, it became deeper, a part of their character. Though impossible as it was to say how it had helped in honing their characters, it had played a part. Not as apparent in Kili as it was in Fili, or Fili to Dis, it affected each of them in their own way.

Dis knelt in the grass and removed some offshoots of grass that threatened to grow over the grave, her voice silent though no tears choked it. Fili and Kili stood on either side of her, eyes cast down and expressions removed as they shared in the welling pain, though on different levels.

Wilting flowers marked where family members still visited the other graves around the cemetery, but Dis hadn't brought any this time. Sitting back on her heels, she breathed deep of the clean air, absorbing it into her lungs and feeling her sadness rise with it. She had to tell them, and it felt right to do it now while they were here, where her husband would also be able to hear.

Reaching first for Fili's hand, and then Kili's, Dis pulled them down onto the grass next to her. "Earlier today," she started. "I began to talk to Fili about my intentions of moving, but he begged for me to wait till I thought better of it, and until you were here Kili," she said, squeezing their hands fondly. "But I have made up my mind, and I'm going to sell the house."

"What?!" Kili exclaimed, surprised, this being the first that he had heard of it.

"You can't!" Fili burst out, dismayed.

"Listen," she implored, stilling them. "There was one time that I considered moving," Dis admitted. "After your father died, I didn't think I could stand living here without him, he'd been so pleased to buy the place. He knew that you boys would be able to grow up securely here. But somehow, I couldn't bring myself to leave, to find somewhere else where I could start again. The house was my only connection to him." She glanced around as if seeking an answer to her dilemma from the settings around her, "Now, I think I should sell it. You're both grown up now; I don't need such a big place all to myself." In a barely audible whisper, she finished, "Besides, I've held on to him this long, I think it's finally time I let go."

Taking Fili's hand firmly in hers, she made him look at her, and explained in a quiet voice, "Besides, I've already talked to Thorin about it, and he agrees with me."

Nodding, Fili's expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and body tense, as if trying to save himself from a blow though he was helpless to do anything.

Feeling lost, Kili could only look on, as helpless as his brother.

"I'm sorry," Dis murmured, apologizing to Fili as she embraced him. "I know I said that we would talk about it, but I've already made up my mind."

Fili's pained gaze met Kili's, but Kili couldn't meet it and looked away. Somehow, this was a problem that he didn't quite share in. Once again, it was something that Fili would have to go through on his own. As much as Kili loved the house, the knowledge that Dis had only stayed there because of his father's memory made it easier for him to release it. Alien though the thought was of visiting Dis in a house that was not home, he felt that he understood why.

Pulling away, Fili isolated himself, standing aloof with his back to them, silhouetted against the horizon, his face hidden.

"You'll help him understand, won't you Kili," Dis begged, her voice lowered so as Fili wouldn't over hear. "I know it's hard on you too, but he needs your support more than ever right now."

Gazing after his brother, Kili doubted that Fili would look at it in that way, but he nodded his head anyway. Though Dis might think that Fili would accept his assistance, Kili knew better than to tell her otherwise; she wouldn't understand why, even if he told her.

Returning to them, Fili had the trace of a smile on his face, though the look in his eye indicated that he was still struggling over Dis' announcement. "All right Mother," he said. "Since you're set in your decision, I guess we'll have to hear out the full details of it."

_ No_, Kili thought, as he trailed after them once more, going back to the car, _Fili won't need my help getting over this_.

* * *

Arriving at home, Dis immediately prepared dinner. Though the conversation remained light and pleasant, Kili couldn't help but wonder if this would be his last time eating here. It was dawning on him, bit by bit, that suddenly this house wasn't to be home for him much longer. In contrast, Fili's quick realization of the news was better than this; to know all at once what was being lost had to be better than the slow pain as it became real one reality at a time.

Once dinner was finished, they went into the living room, and Dis filled them in on the full details of her decision, explaining that as of yet, it was only a thought and that the house was not on the market at the moment, and that it wouldn't be for a while.

"How long will it be before the house is actually on the market to sell?" Fili asked, jumping onto the important facts immediately.

"A couple of months, I still have to get the house ready, and find a new place," Dis responded.

"Will you be keeping everything?" Fili gestured around the room, indicated the furniture.

Dis shrugged. "I don't know. It all depends on what I find."

Half smiling at how Fili seemed to think everything needed to be arranged now, Kili threw one of the couch pillows at him to stop him from asking for any more details. When Fili frowned at him, not appreciating the interruption, Kili feigned innocence. "Fili, have you ever considered that as of right now, nothing has been decided?"

Caught off guard by the suggestion, Fili laughed, realizing that Kili was right. "Okay, so I might be getting ahead of myself."

"Only a little," Kili replied, with a touch of sarcasm in his voice, though his smile was teasing.

Fili made a face, responding to Kili's playing around, and threw the pillow back. "And that was for hitting me with the pillow," he declared.

"Whoa, that's not fair!" Kili protested. "I was only getting you back for waking me up with a pillow!"

Tossing couch pillows back and forth, they moved from exchanging throws to a near all out pillow fight. Watching their fooling around, Dis automatically sought to tone things down, imploring them to stop using her decorative pillows as weapons, but inside she couldn't help but enjoy their bickering; amused to see them behaving like siblings.

"What time is your flight home?" Dis asked Fili, when things were finally calm enough for her to be heard, sorry to bring their fun to an end.

"Early," Fili admitted, putting his pillow away, making a wry face. "And I need to get some sleep," he remembered, standing up.

"Do you want me to make breakfast before you go?" Dis offered as he kissed her forehead.

"No, I'll be fine, and you don't need to wake me either," he replied affectionately.

Embracing him in farewell, Dis murmured, "I'm glad you were able to visit, and that I was able to inform you of my plans."

"So I am." Hugging her back, he turned to Kili and smiled slightly, offering his hand for Kili to take. "I'll see you next time around."

"Yeah, see you," Kili echoed, clasping his brother's hand, and moved to sit closer to Dis.

Finished with saying good-bye, Fili didn't linger, half relieved that it was over with, and half regretful that he hadn't had another chance to talk to Kili. Recalling that there was something he had forgotten to ask, Fili paused as he reached the doorway, glancing back upon the scene of Kili and Dis chatting softly. Resignation resonated in him. This was what he had missed all these years, this comfortable scene of enjoying being near his family.

"Kili," Fili said, slightly startling them both as they had thought he'd already left. "I'll need a ride to the airport in the morning, do you mind taking me?" When Kili didn't answer immediately, Fili hurried on to add, "Or Mother could take me if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay," Kili jumped in. "I can take you. What time do we need to leave?"

Fili grinned, "The flight's at six, so we need to leave early." Business complete, Fili disappeared through the doorway, but then returned briefly. "And Kili, thanks." Content, he went to his room, knowing that he would have to have everything ready to go for a quick departure in the morning.

Repressing a groan at the thought of how early they'd be waking, Kili stood up and leaned over to kiss his mother on the forehead. Dis wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. Letting him go, she watched as her youngest son followed her eldest out the door.


	4. Chapter 3: Dysfunctional Reality

**_Chapter 3: Dysfunctional Reality_**

A light flicked on, and a voice called him into awareness.

"Come on, Kili! We don't have time for games this morning," Fili insisted, shaking Kili's shoulder for good measure (to make sure he was truly waking up), and left the room almost as quickly as he had come in, already awake and ready to go.

Bemoaning his acquiescence, Kili hauled himself out of bed, muttering every word of complaint that he could remember at the moment, though they came out completely incomprehensible. It was ridiculous having to get up at this hour! He could've spent it better by sleeping in- not driving.

Disappearing into the bathroom, he quickly shed his clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water immerse him. Jolting him into instant awareness, it chased every remaining chill from his body, nerves tingling with pleasure, and allowed him to think more graciously upon the upcoming task.

The mirrors were satisfyingly steamed over when he got out, though it hadn't been a long shower, water vapor curling through the air, evidence that it had been a wonderfully warm one. Grabbing a towel, he slung it around his waist as he wiped a palm on the mirror's surface, leaving a circle of clear space. Staring at his reflection, still rather bleary eyed in his opinion, Kili didn't see any hope in his expression for change. Last night's fun was in the past, a spur of the moment act, that was all. Fili might've asked him to drive him to the airport, but it was only out of convenience, Kili wouldn't let himself believe anything more about it.

Splashing cold water on his face, and flashing a cheesy smile at his reflection, he towel dried and went back to his room to change. Yesterday's jeans, a plain t-shirt, and a dark casual jacket that he left unbuttoned. Content that his appearance was passable, he joined Fili in the kitchen, almost groaning out loud and feeling a wave of drowsiness wash over him when he saw how dark it was outside.

"Ready?" Fili asked, meeting him at the counter as he placed his glass in the sink to be washed.

"Yeah, we can go," Kili replied, giving a half shrug. "Just give me a sec," he requested before gulping down some water to wake up again.

"Now?" Fili asked, starting to get impatient, as he shouldered his pack.

Kili nodded, and let Fili lead the way outside, locking the door behind them.

The dark neighborhood was abandoned of life; they were the only ones abroad at this hour, giving the feeling that they were partaking in some forbidden adventure. Night painted new faces on the houses, the orange streetlights giving an eerie cast, the pale stars unwinking in the sky. Dawn couldn't be far off, but to all appearances it looked like the middle of the night, the only difference was that the moon was missing from the sky.

"Which car do you want to take?" Fili asked, indicating the two cars as he glanced back and rested his foot on the step as he waited for Kili.

Twirling his keys around his forefinger for Fili to see, Kili smiled. "Mine," he replied with a touch of pride in his voice, confident and positive in his decision, indicating his electric blue Dodge Viper.

* * *

Headlights stabbing through wisps of fog, lighting the road ahead, they drove through an empty void, the car traveling swiftly and smoothly with only the twin beams of light giving vision to anything around them. Occasionally, another car would appear in the other lane, passing them almost as quickly as it appeared, but for the most part they were alone, with only the lightening eastern sky keeping them company.

"Did Thorin give you the car?" Fili inquired, making small talk, drawing invisible circles with a finger on the leather seat.

"Yeah, for my twenty-first birthday," Kili answered, taking his hands off the wheel for a second. He didn't need to steer where the road was straight, and it was his habit to indulge in seeing how long he could go without having to hold the wheel again. "Did you get one too?" he asked in turn.

Fili nodded, smiling slightly, and his tone lightly teasing "But mine's a Lexus."

"Thorin offered to give me one of those," Kili remarked, playing into the game. "But I wanted something fast." With both of their faces shadowed, it was easier to talk, almost like when they were kids, playing and scheming when they should've been asleep.

Fili huffed out a breath, a near laugh, but it was silent and full of amusement. "Next time you visit I'll have to take you for a spin," he declared.

"Maybe the next time I visit Thorin," Kili complied, grinning faintly; it was humorous to talk of his visiting when he and Fili never visited each other. "You do still live near him, right?"

"Just a little ways off," Fili replied. "Shorter in distance than you are to Mom, I believe."

Sensing the change in the relaxed atmosphere, Kili could feel how Fili's thoughts turned, becoming more serious. _This is where we close up again_, he thought resignedly. This is where they let the barrier fall back into place and took up their customary attitudes with each other. But he had misjudged his brother's mood and wasn't ready for when Fili introduced the new topic.

"What do you know of Thorin's work?" Fili inquired.

"What do you mean?" Kili asked, raising an eyebrow, his interest piqued. Of his family, he felt that he knew the least of Thorin's business, but he wasn't sure how much Fili knew. In the back of his mind, a small voice warned him to be careful, reminding him that last time they had discussed this topic Fili hadn't been completely honest with him, but he shook it off, optimistic that Fili wouldn't hold back from him this time.

Fili rested his head against the headrest, brows furrowing with concentration, trying to find the right words, and seeking to control his tongue from making a blunder. "Please, just answer the question," he requested, but it came out sharper then he meant.

"I don't know anything about it," Kili replied, surprised by Fili's tone and slightly miffed, feeling old defenses rise back into place though he wished they wouldn't. Returning his hands to the wheel, he waited for Fili to continue, unsure of what to expect.

Regretting his mistake, Fili pressed on, hoping that it would be enough to balance it out again. "Thorin is working on a theory called Dysfunctional Reality: the belief that there is another world."

"Is that why you asked me if I believed in other worlds yesterday?" Kili asked, finding it funny and allowing a playful tone to creep into his voice.

"Yes," Fili replied curtly, stalling for time, his discomfort refusing to ease. It was all right for Kili to be oblivious of how he was struggling, but it didn't make it any easier on him. And being reminded of how he had failed the day before didn't help. "The theory is that there's another world, and that somehow we got misplaced."

"Okay," Kili acknowledged, trying to follow with what Fili was saying. "But who's 'we'?"

"Those who are aware of it," Fili explained blankly, knowing that it was a weak explanation.

"How do you know if someone's aware of it?" Kili asked, suddenly suspicious that Fili was holding something back.

"They have flashbacks, moments of de` ja vu, when the world suddenly feels wrong," Fili answered with some relief, glad to be talking about something he knew. "That's the other world drawing close. Though it doesn't always do it in the same manner," he added, remembering some of his own experiences with it.

"As if the settings were right, but the appearance was wrong," Kili interjected abruptly, suddenly chilled as he instantly realized what Fili was hinting at.

Fili looked at him sharply, positive that Kili experienced them too. "That's exactly it," he said softly.

"What is it then?" Kili demanded; desperation to know more, and excitement in knowing that it wasn't just random occurrences, blending into an interesting mixture.

"I'm not sure exactly," Fili sighed. "Thorin hasn't told me much about it, only that we're supposed to belong in another world. He describes the other world as corresponding closely to the human imagination, that that's how it reaches out to us."

"Then why aren't we there?" Kili asked, fascinated with the revelation.

Fili shrugged. "Something happened," he answered vaguely. "That's what Thorin's working on; figuring out what happened, and how to get back."

Crestfallen that Fili was backing off from answering again, Kili pondered over Fili's words, trying to fill the gap that never seemed to be answered. There was more to it, he was certain of that, but he couldn't begin to guess as to why Fili was even holding back in the first place. Although he felt that he did understand what Fili meant when saying that only a few could feel the other world, how could he be sure that what he sensed was it? Fili hadn't given any indication as to what was experienced when it happened, and Kili was reluctant to admit that he felt the same thing until it was proved to be true.

"Does Thorin experience it too?" Kili asked suddenly.

"Of course!" Fili replied, sounding shocked that Kili would even ask such a question.

"And what does this have to do with me?" Kili pressed, seeking for reassurance from Fili's answers.

"I don't know," Fili replied blankly, his confusion stirring self-ire and hindering any logical reasons he could've given; he was helpless to give any creditable answer in the onslaught of questions.

"Then why are you telling me about this?" Kili burst out, unable to stand how little he was being told, how blatantly Fili seemed to distrust him. "What does this have to do with me? Why is it suddenly so important that I hear this?" he demanded bluntly, defensively.

Irritation flaring in response to Kili's attack, Fili snapped back. "I don't know! Thorin asked me to talk to you about it, to find out if you experienced it too, but I have no idea why!"

"You can't even be sure that what I experience is what you experience," Kili replied sarcastically, taking his hands off the wheel again and folding his arms. Hurt stabbed through him, digging into old wounds. If not for Thorin's request, would Fili have tried instigating any conversation between them? Kili didn't know, and he hoped that Fili would've, but he had the feeling that except for that, Fili wouldn't have tried overcoming their differences.

"I'm sure," Fili answered vehemently, his memory harking back to his first major disagreement with Kili. The results had been disastrous, and they'd never fully gotten over it. _Well, if we become even more divided it'll be Thorin's fault_, Fili thought dismissively, wishing that he had never been placed in this position in the first place. "And put your hands on the wheel!" he reprimanded sharply, even more ticked off by Kili's reckless driving.

"I know how to drive!" Kili shot back, irritated by Fili's backseat (or more accurately, passenger seat) driving, stubbornly refusing to do as his brother had asked until he was forced to choose between obeying or driving off the road.

Seething, Fili held his tongue, various names of insult running through his head, some worse than others, but the most common were irresponsible, childish, supercilious, idiotic, and obstinate fool. Stilling his anger, Fili put aside all thoughts of how he was absolutely over and done with trying to talk to Kili and decided that he would give it one more shot, but only because Thorin had asked him to. He wasn't going to go back and inform Thorin that he and Kili had had another fall out and that they now refused to speak to the other; he doubted that Thorin would appreciate that.

"Kili," Fili said, his voice carefully controlled. He was sick and tired of how miserably he'd failed; he wasn't going to let himself flare up again. "Thorin asked me to talk to you about this, and I'm trying my best, could you please just listen."

Not answering, Kili fixed his eyes on the road, feeling let down, and his emotions still strong. Overriding logic, they almost drowned out the small voice that pleaded with him to atone for this latest infraction, but Kili couldn't, he couldn't pass over the fact that it had nothing to do with him, or trying to regain what had been lost. Fili was only acting under Thorin's directions, nothing more. Though it hurt to know that, Kili resolved to do the same thing: he would listen, but only because Thorin had asked, nothing more.

"We still have about fifteen minutes left of driving ahead of us, you might as tell me about it to pass the time," he conceded flatly.

Acknowledging Kili's concession, Fili felt ashamed. He'd thrust Thorin's theory upon him, and then expected him to go along with it, admitting that he received visions of it too, when Kili had no idea what it was in the first place. Fili had spent years hearing about it and getting used to the idea that his bouts of de` ja vu were actually signs that he belonged to another world.

_But where to begin_? he wondered.

Unable to think of how to start, he offered the decision up to Kili, almost as a way of apologizing. "I've failed twice now at trying to tell you about Thorin's work; and you accused me of talking about nonsense on one of those tries. Maybe it'd be better if you asked questions and I tried answering them?" he suggested.

"All right," Kili agreed slowly, loath to relent enough to talk, but Fili was asking nicely so he couldn't refuse. "And asking if someone believes in other worlds is nonsense," he pointed out with false practicality, unable to help but poke fun at Fili as a way to get back at his older brother.

"I'm sure my descriptions of it have only made it worse," Fili answered wryly.

"I can accuse you of that later," Kili said with a shrug. "But for starters, what is Dysfunctional Reality?"

"The basis of Thorin's theory," Fili immediately replied. "According to the theory, this world is the 'dysfunctional' one. If we were where we are supposed to be, this world would not exist to us, just as the world where we're supposed to be would only be a figment of the imagination for the people who belong here."

With his thoughts running freely, Fili found that the words came easily to him. When he had pondered over what to say, it had tangled his thoughts, twisting with his limited knowledge and the fact that he rarely talked to Kili, and in the end had only increased his hesitation.

"What is the other world called?" Kili suddenly asked, jumping in when Fili paused in his narration.

"What?" Fili glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, misunderstanding the nature of Kili's question, believing instead that Kili had misunderstood his last statement.

"Does the other world have a name?" Kili rephrased impatiently. "If this one is the 'dysfunctional one' -" he made parenthesis with his fingers, managing to do it without taking his hands off the wheel (only because he was on his best behavior right now) "-then what is the name of the one where we are supposed to be?"

"Middle-Earth," Fili replied half a beat late, having to drudge the name up from the depths of his subconscious. "Thorin felt that that was a fitting name because it's currently only a partial reality; neither all together here, nor all together there. Kind of between here and heaven," Fili explained, doing little but finding different ways to explain the same answer.

Following his own train of thought, Fili kept going, "But not much is known about it right now. It's mostly guess work, and scraps of information that Thorin has pieced together. We don't even know what it looks like! Only what it feels like, and only what the visions and experiences feel like." Winding down to his conclusion, Fili's voice dropped. "And you know what?" he added softly. "It feels like home."

Gripping the wheel tightly, eyes fixated on the road, Kili knew what Fili was talking about. Those times when he'd felt something, when he'd felt this "Middle-Earth" drawing close, it'd felt like home. Where did he belong in such a world? For that matter, where would Fili belong? Would they still be distant and aloof towards each other? If Thorin managed to find a way back, what would the outcome be? It was anyone's guess as to how things would be on the other side; maybe, for all they knew, it wasn't worth the effort.

_ It feels like home_. Those were the words that kept muddling Kili's skeptical thoughts and bringing him back around to where he'd started. Fili felt that the place was home, and Kili had had the same perspective before he'd ever heard of Fili's opinion.

Another thought snagged at his conscious, capturing his interest. "How many others experience it?" he asked.

"Do you mean in general, or how many that are working with Thorin?" Fili questioned.

"Either," Kili replied, mostly interested in hearing an answer, heedless of which source it came from.

"In general, there could be thousands," Fili replied. "There's no exact way to determine because not everyone who belongs to Middle-Earth can feel it. A majority of them aren't even aware that they're supposed to be somewhere else."

Musing over it, Kili felt pride surge through him. He was in the minority, him and the rest of his family, and that held its own distinction. Pleased that he belonged to such a prestigious family (for Thorin was the founder of the search for Middle-Earth), Kili was willing to put aside differences for the moment, and share his exhilaration over the kinship with Fili, but he didn't.

Keeping control over himself, he instead posed another question: "How old were you when you had your first experience with sensing it?" he asked hesitantly, hoping that Fili would answer.

Caught by surprise, Fili had to reflect back. "Well," he stalled, mulling over his memories. He had never been asked to pinpoint it, not even to describe it! The closest he had come to doing either was shortly after moving in with Thorin. He had accidentally pointed something out, saying that the settings looked wrong, and Thorin had immediately recognized that Fili was sensitive to it, though Fili hadn't been consciously aware of it at the time. But that hadn't been his first experience with it.

No, his first experience with it had happened when he was much younger.

Smiling lopsidedly, Fili stated plainly, and a little humorously; "The first time I experienced it was when I was five."

Kili didn't have to do the math. Consciously aware of the age gap between them, he automatically knew that that placed it sometime around the year of his birth.

Voice taking on a subdued, neutral tone, Fili added reminiscently, "Mother and Father had just brought you home for the first time, and when Father invited me to look into your cradle, I felt something."

Wrapped up in Fili's memories, time expanded between them, drawing them closer together with a bond that had started on the day of Kili's birth, overcoming its frayed divisions and binding them tight. Though he remembered nothing of it (as he was but a baby at the time), Kili felt stirred by it, a longing filling him for what might have been, sorry that the early premonition had proved to be nothing.

Shrugging, somewhat shaking off the quietude that had fallen over them, Fili concluded in a normal voice. "I didn't know what it was of course, but looking back on it, I can guess what triggered the feeling."

Sighing inwardly, Kili retracted from the emotions that begged to be acknowledged. Fili wasn't looking to repair the bond between them, and neither would he. It was in the past. All he had to focus on now was the unsatisfying amount of questions that plagued him, and only Thorin could give him the answers. Fili had already proven that he didn't know… or that he couldn't share.

* * *

Dove gray skies arced over them as they arrived at the airport, low skimming clouds filling the horizon. Pulling up at the curb, Kili got out with Fili, but stayed near the car. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he watched his brother grab his pack, waiting for the inevitable moment when they would have to bid each other farewell, unsure of how he would feel when that time came.

"Will you be coming in?" Fili asked, tucking his plane ticket into a back pocket and adjusting the lay of the strap on his shoulder.

"Nah," Kili answered, shaking his head. "Parking would be a killer to find, and you'd probably be gone by the time I got in."

"I see," Fili replied quietly, eyes jumping to the clouds and scanning their bellies, understanding Kili's unspoken meaning. "Well, it was good seeing you." He smiled slightly, knowing that for both of them it had been strained, and offered his hand.

"Yeah, you too," Kili echoed, taking Fili's hand. Taking it a step further, he embraced him a moment, and quickly stepped back, eyes lowered, fiddling with his keys. "And thanks for opening up. I'm sure Thorin will be grateful for the information." Abashed, he swiftly entered the car, leaving no time for Fili to answer. Waving, he left, taillights disappearing into the flow of the airport's traffic.

Surprised at Kili's final outreach, Fili watched till he disappeared, his heart heavy and the day becoming dimmer. Swept up by these forlorn feelings, he carried them with him as he went through security, and then on to the waiting area. Gazing out the window, he ran over the conversation in his mind, inwardly cringing where he had failed. Chalking it all up as another mistake on his part, he added it to the pile of memories that he regretted, most of them having to do with Kili.

Wishing that it could be otherwise, he took a seat, glad to find one that it was close to the window. Pressed by the dismal thoughts filling his head, he wondered why it was that all the moments he wanted to live over again, were all the ones that involved Kili.

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

Fingering the card, Thorin weighed the facts carefully, taking everything into consideration. Mid-morning sunlight streamed in, lighting the wooden surface of Gandalf's desk with a warm color. Across from him, sitting at ease in his comfortable chair, Gandalf watched him patiently, sipping at his coffee, as he waited for Thorin to come to his decision.

Having concluded the last of their business the day before, today was Thorin's last day in town; tomorrow he would return home and after that he wouldn't have easy accessibility to Gandalf's knowledge. They had spent the previous day concluding the last of their business, covering all of the angles, and discussing the details; leaving nothing out. The one thing they had not conferred was the problem that Thorin was pondering on: whether or not to involve someone else; even if it was only for information.

"This friend of yours, Elrond," Thorin said slowly, tapping the card. "Do you really believe he can help us?"

"I'm certain of it," Gandalf replied, his tone full of certainty.

"But how did he come to have this information?" Thorin asked, expression troubled, eyes tracing the letters on the business card. "And how can you be sure that he will disclose it to us?"

"He's a brilliant scholar, especially in areas that tend to be obscure. At one point, he was involved with the Arkenstone, helping to find a safe place to keep it, and he still keeps close tabs on it," Gandalf explained simply. Spreading his hands, his body language told Thorin that there was little that he could say that would change anything, and that it was up to him to decide. But he went on to say anyway: "If we are honest with him, there is little reason for him to not tell us."

Sitting forward, his voice urgent, Thorin argued, "Gandalf, I need something definite, I cannot risk taking a wild shot and hoping that it works out for the better. We are closer than ever to completing this; if your friend can increase our chances, then I'll talk to him. But if he can do nothing for us, then I'll take my chances on my own. There are fewer risks that way."

"He is my friend, he wouldn't endanger your goal," Gandalf said sternly, somewhat infuriated by Thorin's obvious distrust.

"And that is why I do fear him," Thorin stated plainly. "As your friend, you might believe the best of him, but I do not. Now answer me, do you still think we should trust him?"

Meeting Thorin's solemn blue eyes, understanding his reluctance and knowing that flaring up in defense wouldn't improve anything; Gandalf replied clearly, "Yes, I still think that he can help us."

His arguments concluded, Thorin sat back thoughtfully, wrestling with himself whether or not to take Gandalf's advice on the merit of his word, or to go his own way and hope that Gandalf would assist him if it turned out he was wrong. His pride leaned toward doing things on his own, continuing with things as they were; but a quieter voice begged for him to relent and give it a try, reassuring him that the risk would be worth it, if only for having tried. Reason indicated that it would be better to accept the chance of help, but logically it was almost destined to be a fatal flaw. That left only luck.

Sighing, he decided to chance it to luck and hope that Gandalf knew what he was doing. "All right, upon your word and belief that he can help, I'll talk to him. But only that," Thorin pointed out swiftly. "I'll judge for myself once I've talked to him and only then will I consider following through with the rest of your advice."

Smiling to himself, knowing that this was as good as a yes, Gandalf didn't respond, instead opting to take another sip of his coffee and acknowledge that Thorin had chosen the safest route.


	5. Chapter 4: Intersecting Paths

**_Chapter 4: Intersecting Paths_**

Lounging around the house, Kili watched the television dully, letting it preoccupy his conscious and entertain his mental capacities. Ever since he had returned from taking Fili to the airport, Dis had been giving him his space, allowing him to stalk through the house locked in his thoughts without disturbing him. She didn't know what it was that was bothering him, for all she knew it could've been from mere lack of sleep, but she didn't press him. Regardless of whatever had happened, Kili would snap out of it when he was ready.

Observing the color map of the weather, irritation flashed through him. Why was he watching the weather? Why was he watching anything? Flicking the appliance off crossly, he glanced out the window and decided that the weather channel was right, it did look like a nice day outside and he suddenly had a longing to see familiar sights.

Spirits rising, he hunted through the house, looking for Dis. Finding her, he leaned against the wall, staying out of her way as she folded the laundry, and announced, "I'm going for a walk."

Peering at him, taking in the sparkle that had returned to his eye, Dis smiled to herself, amused. "How long are you planning to be gone?" she inquired mildly.

"For about ten minutes or so," Kili replied vaguely.

"Do you want me to come along?" Dis offered, although she had a feeling that he wouldn't need her company.

"Nope, I'm good!" Kili called back over his shoulder, anxious to get going.

Laughing softly, Dis grabbed another shirt and deftly folded it, listening to the sound of the front door opening and closing. She didn't know what had made him suddenly decide to go on a walk, but she recognized that his previous attitude had disappeared and that his usual mood was back in place.

Close to noon, the eleven o'clock sun rode near its zenith, diminishing his shadow into an oblong spot under his feet. Indecisive, the temperature wavered on the chilly side, though it promised to get warmer. Compared to how it'd looked in the predawn, when it'd been empty and somewhat eerie, the houses looked pleasant and welcoming in the fresh, spring sunlight. Although the neighborhood was still as empty as it had been earlier for it was a church morning.

A little remorseful that soon this would only be the place of his childhood, Kili let the scenes settle on his mind and become fixed there, merging with memories of his boyhood romps and adding a new depth to the tapestry of images that came to mind when he thought of this place.

He didn't feel the need to prolong his stay either; too many thoughts crowded on his mind, and the visit would only become more uncomfortable the longer he stayed. Dis' revelation, his conversation with Fili, each demanding equal attention; attention he couldn't spare. At least, not yet. Initially, his plan had been to leave later in the afternoon, and to visit with Dis for most of the day, but a change in plans was beginning to look better and better. Dis would understand, she wouldn't restrain him from leaving early, and ultimately it would work out for the best for everyone.

Once he returned to his place, he would be able to fully look into both items, and properly work over them in his mind. Removed from the pressures that this visit had brought, his thoughts would be more conclusive, and a decision easier to reach. Plus, doing his own research might uncover some answers to his questions. Answers that wouldn't be affected by anyone's personal opinion.

And with the extra time, he could return at his leisure.

His mind made up, and his agitation at ease, he quit his walk and headed back to Dis' house.

* * *

A swelling heat surge had buffeted the pernicious spring weather into uncharacteristically warm temperatures by early afternoon, the lingering chill from earlier having completely disappeared. Dis had accepted Kili's decision without comment when he had announced his plans to her, inwardly heaving a sigh of dissolution; all too soon her sons were leaving her again.

"You'll be careful, won't you?" Dis asked, coming outside to see him off, worried for him even though he'd made the drive several times before.

"I always am," Kili automatically replied, smiling with reassurance. In the back of his mind he recalled his change in course. Instead of taking the freeway, he would be taking the back roads. He figured that by taking the quiet neighborhood roads it would help kill the time, and a change in scenery might help to clear his head, before returning home.

Dis folded her arms, not disapprovingly, but as if hugging her fears in, watching Kili climb into his car. There were times when she had hated how Thorin had given her sons luxury cars, as if tempting them to test their driving skills, though she had little reason to believe that, and it had taken her a while to accept that no unwarranted danger would come to them. But as a mother, she couldn't help but fret after her children.

Backing out of the driveway, Kili waved to Dis, just catching her wave in return out of the corner of his eye before he checked to make sure that he was clear to pull out the rest of the way. Swinging the car around, he swiftly accelerated and was soon out of Dis' sight.

For the first half hour or so, he followed his usual course, taking the familiar roads out of town, until he had passed the borders. Gunning the engine, he passed his usual ramp onto the freeway, and proceeded to lose himself in the cluster of neighborhoods that resided along the outskirts of town, ignoring the plaintive complaints of the GPS.

"Sorry little guy," he commented to the GPS, turning it off and increasing the volume on the stereo. "But I'm doing the navigating today." Slipping his shades on, Kili drummed his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the music, cruising comfortably down the quiet neighborhood streets, gradually making his way out of the last of the hills that surrounded Dis' home.

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

Preparing for his departure, Thorin ran a critical eye over the hotel room, making sure the orderly space was in the same state that he had found it in and that he hadn't forgotten anything. The room would be his for another night, but he was ready to return home; work was waiting and Gandalf's information needed to be added into the files. Nodding with satisfaction that all was in place, he took the elevator down to the lobby.

Claiming a vacant computer, he quickly signed in and pulled up emails, hoping that he hadn't missed anything important while he'd been caught in discussions. The screen was slow to load, a rainbow circle spinning incessantly, lethargic from lack of use, but within thirty seconds the page popped up. Scrolling through, Thorin was content to see that none of the waiting emails immediately pressed for his attention, although there was one near the top that he was inclined to look at.

Opening it, the tidy electronic words marched neatly across the white page, reading:

**Thorin,**

**I found the files you wanted me to look into. They were poorly categorized, but I went ahead and started sorting them into proper categories. While sorting, I discovered that some of the information is missing, but I think that is from an incorrect copying into the system, because it has been a few years since anyone opened them. I was wondering if maybe searching through the original raw materials would uncover the missing data, and I need it to find the exact figures you wanted. How soon would it be possible for you to get a hold of the original copies?**

** Balin**

Expression intensifying, Thorin swiftly typed out a reply, his concern deeper than Balin's reassuring words could sooth. With almost anything else, he would've trusted Balin's judgment implicitly, but those files were vital and any threat to them could not be overlooked.

**Balin,**

**Are you positive that the information was never there? And that it hasn't been tampered with? I can get the original materials, I've finished my business with Gandalf so I can make the trip, but I need to know if it has been tampered with immediately. If they've been touched, it could mean that our theories are inconclusive, which would make the hypothesize formulas unstable.**

** Thorin**

Resting his elbow on the counter, and placing his forehead against his palm so that his fingers contemplatively mussed with his hair, Thorin reread Balin's email, probing it for more clues, but the message remained unchanged. Consciously dispelling his worries for a more opportune time, subtly rolling his shoulders to relax them, Thorin signed out and quit the computer.

Balin required the files, and he would get them. That was his concern at the moment. Leaving the lobby, Thorin returned to his room, wanting the privacy it would provide while he made a phone call. Ever suspicious, he didn't trust that the information would fall on deaf ears if anyone overheard him. It was unfortunate that he couldn't talk to Gandalf about this, the professor was certain to have a more logical approach to it, but he had parted from Gandalf's company after lunch, he wouldn't intrude a second time; especially since he would be unexpected.

Dialing confidently, he didn't have to listen to the ringing on the other end for long. "Dis," Thorin greeted when the line picked up.

"Thorin!" Dis replied warmly. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you. Fili said that you had business to attend to," she commented eagerly, happy to hear from him.

"I did." Initially, he had planned to keep the conversation on the task at hand, but after hearing Dis' voice and her happiness at receiving a call from him, he changed his mind and let himself be drawn into a conversation. "I would've come but for that," he apologized.

"I know," Dis acknowledged, having understood her older brother's reasons long ago.

"How were the boys?" he asked.

"I told them about my decision to move."

"Did you now?" Thorin asked softly, surprised. He had thought that she was going to wait until the sale was definite before telling them. "How did they take it?"

Dis hesitated slightly before answering, "They accepted it.

Thorin had to wonder if that was true, her pause indicated otherwise, but he couldn't imagine what there would've been to dissent against. "Well that's good," he replied. Mind working swiftly, he realized that he could take advantage of the situation. Asking quickly, he hoped he hadn't already missed his opportunity. "Is Fili still there? I remember him saying something about a change in his travel plans, but I can't recall what that entailed."

"Fili left this morning," Dis answered. "His early arrival only made a two hour difference to the length of his stay."

"What about Kili?" Thorin asked, silently conceding to himself that his other nephew would work just as well. "He's usually there for a longer time than his brother, is he still there?"

"He left a couple hours ago," Dis replied wryly, a hint of laughter entering her voice. "Was there anything important that you wanted to talk to them about?"

"No," Thorin admitted, not thrilled about the fact that he hadn't been able to reach either of his nephews, but it only meant setting his plans back to his original layout. "It was just a thought."

Dis waited for him to divulge more information, but when it became apparent that he wasn't going to, she changed the topic. "How did your meeting go?"

"Fine," Thorin answered slowly, having to be dragged out of his thoughts. "Gandalf had a new lead, I'm not sure if it'll be any help yet, but at least it's a step closer." He shifted the phone, making his right hand available for writing, still only half paying attention to Dis' reply.

"Have you finished meeting then? It sounds like there's more to it," Dis said, oblivious to the fact that she was lacking an audience.

"Gandalf and I finished the last of our discussion this morning," Thorin replied, sparing a second to talk before returning to writing out his notes.

Sensing that his mind was elsewhere, and that she wouldn't hear the real reason for his call without prompting, Dis stated, "Thorin, you don't usually call me to let me know what the latest is in your work. Why are you really calling?" she inquired.

Smiling to himself, amused at how well she knew him, he set his pen aside and said frankly, "I need Frerin's boxes."

"What? Why?" Dis' voice spiked an octave out of startlement.

"I asked Balin to look through our copy of Frerin's material, and he found that some of the information wasn't there." Thorin sighed heavily, tapping out a staccato rhythm on the desk with the pen. "I don't know whether it's theft or not," he admitted, voicing his fears for her. When it came to his project, Dis knew as much, if not more, than Gandalf did, and was easily capable of understanding Thorin's wariness.

"Surely not!" Dis replied, instinctively opposed to the thought, and amazed that anyone would even think of it. "What does this mean for your project?"

"We can't be sure that it's not," Thorin answered wearily, immediately looking at the big picture. "Until I hear from Balin again, it's too soon to rule it out. And until I know nothing's been tampered with, it's not safe to continue."

There was silence on Dis' end for several seconds. "Which boxes will you be wanting? Just the ones holding the theory or all of them?" Dis finally asked.

"All of them," Thorin immediately replied. "I want to look through them again, to make sure that I haven't missed anything else."

"You know best," Dis agreed, giving in to his wisdom on the subject. "When do you need the boxes?" she asked matter-of-factly.

"I'm coming over to pick them up," Thorin explained. "I can have my flight changed, and all the arrangements made; all I need is for the boxes to be available when I get there."

"They will be," Dis replied resignedly, heaving a quiet sigh. "But Thorin, don't turn this only into in a business trip. I hardly see you as is," she pleaded.

Thorin didn't answer her plea. He was calculating how long it would take for everything to be taken care of, and, if he was right, there would be more than enough time to satisfy Dis' wants. "Take care Dis," he said, letting a fond tone enter his voice.

"I'll be expecting you," Dis replied.

* * *

oOo oOo oOo

* * *

Clear sky spanned the atmosphere, mirages pooling in the dips of the road, subtle heat waves skimming above the surface of the asphalt, while the sun dipped toward the western horizon. Singing along with familiar tunes, Kili ignored the nagging feeling that he had strayed far out of his way; he had been traveling in the right direction, he couldn't be that far from the right track. But the glare of the silent GPS taunted him with his crimes, accurately accusing him of turning it off and not listening to its advice.

Noticing that the gas meter was running low, Kili pulled into a solitary gas station, barren of activity. A bored attendant sauntered over to offer assistance, but he waved them off, preferring to do it himself. Besides, if he started conversing, he might divulge his predicament, and his pride wasn't ready to bow to the acknowledgement that he had misjudged his path.

Exiting the station, he adjusted the sun visor, leaving the GPS off, while the music played unaccompanied by his voice as he scanned the road signs intently, hoping for a clue to his location. Quaint countryside flew by on either side; flush with the growth of spring. Dulled by the shades, it was hard to recognize color, but it could've been a psychedelic wonderland for the amount of attention he paid it. Ridiculously stubborn in refusing to immediately find the right path, regardless of the means, he was lucky in that scarcely an hour passed before he ran into trouble.

Putting more pressure on the gas pedal, Kili almost lost control when the wheel jerked sharply in his hands, accompanied by a muffled sound as a wheel popped. Laboriously, the car listed to one side, losing speed instead of gaining.

Irritably, he stopped the car; on the desolate road, no one would care that it was parked right in the middle. Kneeling by the flat tire, he immediately spotted the problem: a wide gash had been slit in the tire. And the culprit was on hand too, a large shard of glass with edges like a razor. Kili swore fiercely under his breath, though he could've shouted it without anyone hearing him.

Still muttering crossly and sitting back on his heels, a soft groan escaped him as a thought pricked his memory. Swiftly getting to his feet, Kili shoved his shades onto the top of his head as he searched the car, an air of desperation urging him on to hurry and find it. If memory served him right, he had taken the spare tire out to make room during a trip, and memory also said that he hadn't put it back in. Hoping that it wasn't the case, although his mind insisted that it was, he peered into the empty storage space, his spirits sinking.

Glancing resignedly up and down the road, confirming that there was no one to help him, only the deceiving mirages, Kili loathed the thought of calling for help. He shouldn't need help! He was young; he should've been able to handle his own problems. That was why he'd been so flippant about taking the tire out: he hadn't believed that there'd ever be a time when he'd need it. To top it off, as if to rub in just how helpless he was, even if he had had the extra tire he didn't possess the tools to replace it.

Propping his hand against the car, still gazing moodily into the empty storage space, he called and reported his need for a tow. Keeping his voice cool, under control, his temper flared sharply as he listened to the call responder. Barely able to hide his irritation as he gave an icy- "Thank you for your time" –he shut the phone with a snap. Viciously, he slammed the flat of his palm against the edge of the open back, making the car rock from the force of the blow.

An hour wait?! It was ridiculous!

Scowling ferociously, pent up anger churning in a roiling knot in his stomach, Kili wondered what could possibly delay them so that it took an hour. Was he really so far off the beaten track?

It was all unlucky coincidence. If he hadn't changed his plans, had remained for the last of the visit, he would've never come this way, forget about getting lost or anything else to do with this ill-begotten venture. One way or another, no matter his displeasure, he would press on and hope that things took a turn for the better. And quickly. For a start, the tow truck could come in a reasonable timeframe, anytime within the hour and not in an hour.

Curbing his frustration, Kili eyed the sun's position, gauging that it wasn't ready to slip over the horizon just yet. Maybe there was yet something he could do, it would at least be better than standing around waiting he decided.

Removing his shades, he crouched next to the wheel, eying it futilely; he already knew that there was nothing he could do and a second glance didn't show any improvement. Sweeping his hand over the road, clearing it of any glass shards, he crawled under to peer at the belly of the car. As he wasn't a mechanic though, he had no idea what to look at.

Intent upon his perusal, Kili missed the telltale sounds of an approaching vehicle. Halting, the door thudded shut as the driver climbed out. Oblivious, Kili might as well have been deaf for the noises passed over his head without his being the wiser.

"It looks like you need help," a voice observed.

Jerking, instinctively wanting to see who was there, Kili scraped the back of his shoulders on the underside of the car as he returned to the sunlight. Squinting, shades forgotten in hand, Kili began to look kindly upon his troubles. One glimpse of the woman standing before him was more than enough to make up for everything he had endured through.

Casually dressed in jean shorts, and a simple t-shirt, her plain attire couldn't hide her lithe form. Built like an athlete, slender in figure, she exuded a confidence that promised that it couldn't easily be shaken. Keeping with the rest of her apparel, her auburn hair was half pulled back, with her long side bangs left loose but tucked behind an ear. Though stunning, there was something aloof in her stance, proving that she was made of sterner stuff than she appeared, but in Kili's eyes it only served to enhance her beauty. Standing with the sunlight striking her perfectly, she seemed to tower over him as the last warm rays lit her impassive face.

"Ah, no, there's no need for help," Kili replied with a grin, half reclining against his car, twirling the shades around a finger. "Everything's fine."

Tilting her head, eyebrow raising skeptically, she voiced her doubt in that assurance. "Really? Because you're parked in the middle of the road."

Looking around, suddenly remembering his settings, Kili's grin turned sheepish but he quickly recovered. Making a slight motion for her to come closer, he said dismissively in a hushed voice, "That's just a minor detail."

A smile broke across her face, dispersing the chiseled quality as a soft laugh bubbled out of her. "Oh good," she returned. "I was afraid of something worse."

Climbing to his feet, Kili was able to get a better look at her now that the sun wasn't altering her appearance. She stood a little shorter than him, the top of her head coming to his chin, her fair skin yet untouched by the summer sun, but her light brown eyes met his steadily.

Attracted, Kili laughed with her, adding mischievously, "And what would you do if I was in need of help?"

"Well, that depends." The smile didn't leave her lips, but it changed in quality, becoming somewhat closed and guarded, but still retaining the same thread of conversation that they'd been having.

"On what?" Kili countered, wanting to draw her out.

"On what kind of help you need. Then I might be able to help you."

Remembrance striking him, hot embarrassment flooded him, filling his face with color. He'd been so quick to dismiss her statement the first time that he had forgotten about the situation. "Oh, you need to get by and my car's blocking the road, is that it?" he asked chagrined.

Only answering with another light laugh, a twinkle flashed in her eyes, mirthful and amiable. With a fluid motion, her graceful body knelt next to the flat tire, sharp eyes taking in the damage.

"Have you called anyone?" she asked.

"A tow truck is already on its way, if that's what you mean," Kili answered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Unless you're able to change a tire, there's not much you can do."

She tossed her head derisively, as her expression revealed only part of her disdain for his remark, naturally fighting against the assumed opinion. But her tone was passive, with a playful lilt. "We'll see." Playing into dramatics, she shrugged and smiled knowingly as she added evaluating, "But I can always leave. Although, I doubt there'll be anyone else coming by here to rescue you if your tow truck never shows up."

"Are you offering to stay?" Kili inquired, a half smirk spreading over his face, although he was surprised by the offer.

"I didn't say that," she replied defensively, folding her arms over her chest. "I just meant that I might still be able to help you." She ended the sentence abruptly, clearly disgruntled, and uncomfortable with the direction the conversation had taken.

"Thanks," Kili said, sincere. Attempting to ease up the tension that had come up between them, he offered a hand to her and introduced himself. "By the way, my name's Kili."

"Tauriel," she said softly, clasping his hand with her small one.

Watching her contemplatively, feeling more and more drawn to her, Kili's voice was just as quiet as he replied: "Thank you, Tauriel."

Quick color flooded her cheeks, her eyes becoming uncertain as she met his gentle gaze, but she soon took control over the situation again. "Not many people come this way," she commented, hinting at her curiosity as to why he was out there. "Where are you going?"

Answering her question, he humbled himself into admitting his mistaken idea of taking the back roads. Amazingly, his pride wasn't as flattened as he had feared it would be by his confession. Listening attentively, Tauriel didn't give any sign of judgment while he was talking, but once he finished she seemed to find it rather humorous.

Laughing, she said, "You should've stuck to the highway! You've come too far to the Northeast. This is way out of your way!"

"I think I know that now," Kili replied wryly, half sharing in her amusement now that things didn't look so bleak.

Gazing up the road, Tauriel sighed as her laughter ceased. "Well, now you know better, and I'm sure it won't take you long to find your way home. But it was nice talking to you," her voice low with finality.

Following her gaze, Kili was sorry to see the tow truck approaching. He had hoped to spend more time with Tauriel. Already, this stranger who had walked into his life and insisted on helping had had an impact on his life. If given the chance… but he could only wonder at what the possibilities might have been.

"Yeah, you too," he said quietly. Giving a lopsided grin, he added, "I guess I needed help after all." As he had hoped, he was rewarded with her soft laugh.

Half dismayed, half glad, they met the tow truck soberly. The wait had been long, and it was a relief that it was over, but if time could've lingered for them, they would've been eager to accept the opportunity at spending another moment more in each other's company.

Not surprisingly, the news came that Kili's car would have to be towed to the nearest auto shop. Watching as his car was lifted, Kili surreptitiously watched Tauriel out of the corner of his eye, working up the courage to ask for her number, hoping that she wouldn't be opposed to staying in touch; or at least having the means of getting in touch, even if they never did.

Concentrating on his desire to present the question to her, Kili was only half paying attention as he talked with the trucker. Accepting the man's words, he stepped aside as the other climbed back into the cab.

Giving him a puzzled look, Tauriel had to raise her voice to be heard over the truck's engine starting. "Shouldn't you be riding with him?"

Snapping out of his reverie, Kili could only stand helplessly, aghast, as the tow truck pulled away. Faint color tinged his cheeks as he turned to Tauriel, embarrassed, but not as disappointed as he should've been, secretly thrilled with this new turn of events.

"Um, I need a ride," he pointed out, a smile crooking up impishly at the corner of his mouth, heart beating fiercely with adulation.

Flushing in turn, Tauriel replied automatically, "My boyfriend will hate this if he ever finds out."

"I'm sure he will," Kili answered good-naturedly, unconcerned now that it was clear that they wouldn't be parting immediately. Going over to the passenger side, he wasn't even very concerned about the supposed boyfriend, positive that he was non-existent and only a bluff for the sole reason of discouraging him from making a move towards her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive?" he offered, knowing her well enough by now to guess what her reaction would be, as he opened the door.

She shot him a look. "I agreed to give you a ride, not to let you kidnap me," she replied tartly.

Smiling to himself, Kili found her reflection on his window, tracing the shape of her face with eager eyes, and happy to stare at her without the returned scrutiny.

Silence reigned between them, all earlier evidence of conversation having disappeared. Into the quiet came the sound of a melodic ringtone. Glancing at Tauriel, Kili quietly observed her practiced motions of flipping the phone open and answering.

"Hello?"

Her expression was once again neutral, hidden behind her mask as she listened to what was being said on the other end. Only able to hear one side of it, Kili pieced what he could together.

Sighing exasperatedly, Tauriel said to her unseen contact. "Legolas, look, I'm fine. I'm just caught up with something at the moment, I'll be back soon." An irritated sound left the back of her throat as she listened to the other's words. "No, I don't need you to come find me. I'm just taking someone to the auto shop." A disgusted look crossed her face, accompanied by a scornful snort. "Yes, it's a friend. Now I'll talk to you later."

Glancing at Kili out of the corner of her eye, Tauriel said apologetically, "Sorry about that."

"No, no, it's fine," Kili replied with a smirk. "I guess that was your boyfriend?" he inquired with feigned innocence, on purposely goading her.

"No," Tauriel snapped, shooting him a look.

Sitting back contentedly, Kili forced his large Cheshire-cat like grin to remain in hiding. It wouldn't do to push her too far and have her kick him out of the car.

* * *

Exiting the office, Kili retrieved his belongings from Tauriel's care (where he had placed them when he'd had to empty his pockets in search for his wallet), and looked over his car possessively, pleased to have it working again. Looking sidelong at Tauriel, he commented casually, "Maybe I should give you a ride, you know, to return the favor?" he hinted, jesting.

Echoing her own words, Tauriel replied teasingly, "I didn't agree to let you kidnap me."

Shrugging dramatically, he answered, "Oh well, it was worth a try."

"It's not like you're going to get in trouble again," Tauriel pointed out with a smile, slowly heading over to her car.

"Well, can I at least have your number?" Kili asked spontaneously, if not a little desperately.

She stopped and stared at him, mask carefully in place, then shook her head and gave a definite, "You won't need it."

"But what happens if I get stuck?" Kili countered, vying for time. "I might need to call you."

A blush staining her cheeks pink, she gazed at him with lowered eyes, hiding the soft smile that tugged at her lips. Composing herself, as much as she could, she lifted her gaze to his and let a knowing half-smile replace the previous one and replied, "You'll be fine, and you won't need my number."

Heart falling back into its usual rhythm, the last vestiges of a plea dying in its pulses, Kili could only watch regretfully as she walked away. The circumstances almost seemed to be rubbing it in; he was left standing there, waving, while she drove off into the sunset. It was ironic.

Getting into his car, not wanting to see her disappear, Kili double-checked the time of his phone. Finger pausing in amazement, he left off looking at the time to instead look at a text message he had missed. It wasn't surprising that he had missed it, it had only arrived a few minutes ago, but he didn't recognize the sender and that mystified him.

Opening it, his eyes skimmed over the words, needing a moment for them to register. Joy washed over him, an elated laugh escaping him, as he read over the short, but welcomed message a second time.

"Hey Kili! You let me hijack your phone, so I went ahead and took some liberties. I'm sure you won't mind;) But just so I know that you didn't lose your way a second time, I'd love to hear from you when you get home. Tauriel."

* * *

_A/N- I wanted to take a moment to thank you guys. I'm honestly amazed at the reception this story has received, after all the time and dedication I spent on it, I didn't expect for it to be appreciated. So I just wanted to thank you guys for giving me the motivation to keep going with this because your reviews make my day^^ Thank you!_


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